ECHO Daily Flash

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- ECHO Daily flash of 03/01/2017

The ceasefire agreement between the Syrian government and armed opposition groups (AGs) is largely holding since it entered into effect on 30 December.
However, the Syrian army and associated forces continued pressing onto the AG-controlled locations of Ain al-Fijeh and Wadi Barada – northwest of the Damascus capital. The offensives started before the ceasefire agreement was agreed upon and continued throughout the New Year’s weekend.
In the past 72 hours, the fighting and air bombardment have reportedly triggered the displacement of more than 1 000 persons from the Wadi Barada area towards the peripheries of Damascus, according to the Government official news agency and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). The fighting is causing severe water shortages in Damascus and its outskirts since 22 December, as primary sources of water for the capital and its peripheries are located in the fighting area. The shortages are affecting 4 million people, according to the UN.
The UN Security Council has welcomed the efforts by Russia and Turkey to facilitate the ceasefire agreement, renewing its call to allow rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to all people in need throughout Syria. The UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mr. Stephen O’Brien, emphasized the urgency for the Government of Syria and AGs to end all sieges, remove bureaucratic obstacles and provide the necessary security assurances and guarantees to enable access for humanitarian personnel.