UNICEF Ireland condemns deplorable attack in Syria
DUBLIN/NEW YORK/AMMAN, 6 April 2017 –At least 27 children were confirmed killed in the attack in Idlib, northwest of Syria, UNICEF said today. A further 546 people, among them many children, have been injured. Casualty figures are expected to rise.
“The killing of children in Syria cannot be allowed to continue,” said UNICEF Regional Director, Geert Cappelaere. “All parties to the conflict and those with influence on them must immediately put an end to this horror.”
UNICEF and partners continue to respond to the attack by supporting three mobile clinics and four hospitals to provide first aid and treatment, and nine ambulances to refer and transport patients to hospitals in the area.
UNICEF is also delivering critical medical supplies and working with health partners to raise awareness about medical response to chemical attacks.
UNICEF Ireland’s Executive Director Peter Power said: “I condemn in the strongest possible terms this week’s attack on children. Children did not cause this crisis but they are its chief victims. This week’s events are heart-breaking. The Syrian children I have met during more than six years of conflict all expressed a deep desire for peace. They want a future. We are making a plea to all parties to this conflict – do not take these children’s futures from them.”
ENDS
*Notes to Editors*
To review the response of UNICEF’s Global Executive Director Anthony Lake on Tuesday April 4, click here
UNICEF’s recent publication on the impact of war on children from Syria Hitting Rock Bottom, along with broadcast quality b-roll, videos from children in Syria, and photos is available here
To donate to the children of Syria, please visit our website.
About UNICEF
UNICEF promotes the rights and well-being of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. UNICEF has been operating for 70 years.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook or Youtube or visit UNICEF Ireland’s website
For more information, please contact:
Aedín Donnelly, Communications and Media Manager for UNICEF Ireland | aedin@unicef.ie | Tel: +353 1 809 0281 | Mob: +353 85 1395272
