UN aid to Syria temporarily halted due to earthquake aftermath

The UN’s cross-border aid into Syria has been temporarily disrupted following the damage caused by Monday’s powerful earthquake, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA) told CNN Tuesday.

The UN’s aid assistance has been “temporarily disrupted due to road challenges – particularly the road from Gaziantep to our Transshipment Hub in Hatay,” said Madevi Sun-Suon, OCHA spokesperson.

“We are exploring all avenues to reach people in need and conducting assessments on feasibility. We do have aid but this road issue is a big challenge as of now,” the spokesperson added.

Around 4.1 million people rely on humanitarian assistance in the region of northwest Syria rocked by the quake, the majority of whom are women and children, according to an OCHA statement on Monday.