Syria needs more help, Red Cross says

Abdalrhman Ismail | Reuters

People carry belongings as they flee deeper into the remaining rebel-held areas of Aleppo, Syria December 12, 2016.

“I think this is a place where so much political considerations are overshadowing humanitarian work that to carve out a neutral humanitarian space is difficult,” he said at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.

According to the United Nations, more than 6 million people remain displaced inside Syria and 5.48 million have fled to other countries since the start of the conflict.

In what’s described as the biggest refugee crisis since the end of World War II, Maurer called on European and Gulf countries to step up their efforts to support the region.

“I would appreciate more assistance from many countries including from the United States, although in terms of the ICRC and some other agencies, the United States is very much among the largest donors,” he said.

“I am today more interested also to encourage other donors to step up to the plate and to finance neutral humanitarian organizations and operations more generously and this certainly is true for some Europeans states, Gulf states as well as other important countries,” Maurer added.