UN suspends all humanitarian convoys in Syria following attack

Geneva, Sep 20 (AFP) The UN said today it had suspendedall humanitarian aid convoys in Syria after a deadly air raidhit trucks delivering aid near Aleppo, killing a Red Crescentstaff member and civilians. As an "immediate security measure, other convoy movementsin Syria have been suspended," Jens Laerke, spokesman for theUN humanitarian agency told reporters in Geneva. This marks a "very, very dark day for humanitarians inSyria and indeed across the world," he said, stressing that itwas "paramount that we are able to establish the facts throughan independent investigation." The UN said at least 18 trucks in the 31-vehicle convoywere destroyed late yesterday en route to deliver humanitarianassistance to the hard-to-reach town of Orum al-Kubra. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 12 RedCrescent volunteers and drivers had died in the strike. Red Cross spokesman Benoit Carpentier told reporters thatthe director of the Syrian Red Crescent’s sub-branch waskilled, along with a number of civilians. Laerke said the convoy had been carrying food and non-food aid for some 78,000 people. The aid was "intended for people in dire need… This aidwill now not reach those people," he said, stressing thatattacks on humanitarian workers has "an exponential effect onthousands of other people." (AFP)SAI