One of the young children displaced by recent violence in Iraq. Photo: UNICEF Iraq
In response to a break in the two-month long siege of Amerli, UNICEF has delivered 45 metric tonnes of life-saving supplies for the estimated 3,000 children, women and their families who have been trapped in dire conditions.
“UNICEF supplies are on the ground, and we will do everything in our power to bring relief to the children, women and families who have endured so much tragedy,” said Dr. Marzio Babille, UNICEF Iraq Representative. “While this delivery was the first, more assistance is following immediately from the humanitarian community in Iraq.”
The UNICEF supply convoy consisted of seven trucks dispatched from Erbil directly to Amerli without transfer to unmarked vehicles, and included the Mayor of Amerli as a passenger. This delivery is the first in a series of planned aid convoys and is now supporting 15,000 people with family food packs, oral rehydration kits for health clinics, emergency food rations, therapeutic food for malnourished children, family hygiene kits and more than a thousand bottles of water.
These supplies come in the context of UNICEF’s mass humanitarian, supply-driven operation of relief and assistance. Since January, UNICEF has delivered lifesaving assistance to 641,243 people displaced throughout Iraq. Since 2 August UNICEF has delivered nearly 360 metric tonnes of humanitarian aid for more than 314,000 displaced people, including safe drinking water, supplementary food (such as high protein biscuits), and emergency health kits, among other items.
