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The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors. Celebrating 20 years of coordinated humanitarian action United Nations Nations Unies Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs UN HUMANITARIAN CHIEF: FRUSTRATED BY LACK OF PROTECTION FOR CIVILIANS IN SYRIA (New York, 2 August 2013): The continued failure by parties to the conflict to protect civilians across Syria means that women, men, and children continue to be killed, injured and displaced across the country. Thousands of people are trapped in areas besieged by Government forces and opposition groups. Hundreds have reportedly been killed, injured or taken hostage in attacks in Homs, Aleppo and other areas of Syria in the last two days alone. People are being prevented from getting basic help, including food, drinking water and medical care. Humanitarian workers are risking their lives to help. They need our support to be able to safely reach all people in need, wherever they are in Syria. Their job is to be neutral and impartial and it remains vital that efforts to provide humanitarian aid are separate from political agendas. I and my colleagues in the humanitarian and human rights community have publicly and frequently called for the violence to stop. While others take the steps necessary to make that a reality, we need commitment by all parties to stop actions that result in loss of civilian lives, to allow access for aid organizations, and to respect their obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law. For further information, please call: Amanda Pitt, OCHA New York, pitta@un.org, Tel. +1 212 963 4129, Cell +1 917 442 1810 OCHA press releases are available at www.unocha.org or www.reliefweb.int