OHCHR, WHO raise alarm over worsening humanitarian situation in Syria

UN officials on Tuesday expressed concerns about the humanitarian situation in Syria due to the latest violent attacks in the country's northwestern part starting from late November.

On Nov. 27, a major rebel offensive rocked the western countryside of Aleppo, the first significant attack since 2016. The assault was carried out by a coalition of rebel groups, mainly the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an al-Qaida-linked extremist organization, with the aim of penetrating government-held territories.

When speaking to a bi-weekly press conference in Geneva, Switzerland, spokesman for the Office of the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Jeremy Laurence said that the Office has documented a number of extremely concerning incidents resulting in multiple civilian casualties, including a high number of women. and children

"We are in the process of verifying deadly attacks impacting civilians. For example, on November 29, four civilian men were killed reportedly as a result of multiple ground-based strikes by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) hitting an area hosting the Aleppo university student dormitories in the Hamdaniyah neighborhood in the western part of the city of Aleppo. According to information gathered by our Office, all victims were students of the university and, following that, many other students fled the university complex," Laurence said.

Acting Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Syria Christina Bethke warned that local hospitals are overwhelmed, with thousands of injured having been admitted in the past four days alone.

"Insecurity and restrictions on movement have forced around 65 non-governmental organizations that were previously operational in Aleppo and Idlib to suspend their activities, and in many cases, this is leaving health facilities overwhelmed or out of service. That includes one of Idlib's largest hospitals, Bab Al Hawa, and Al Razi Hospital in Aleppo, both of which are reduced to serving emergency cases only and leaving countless patients in limbo," she said.

OHCHR, WHO raise alarm over worsening humanitarian situation in Syria

OHCHR, WHO raise alarm over worsening humanitarian situation in Syria

OHCHR, WHO raise alarm over worsening humanitarian situation in Syria

The 100,000th trip of China-Europe freight train arrived in Duisburg, Germany on Tuesday morning, marking a historic milestone for this 13-year-old cross-continental artery.

The train, which had departed from southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, arrived at Duisburg, Germany's largest inland shipping hub, at 9:10, carrying electronics, industrial parts, and household appliances.

The cargo was quickly unloaded for distribution to various destinations across Europe.

At the celebration, Markus Teuber, China Commissioner for Duisburg, emphasized that the China-Europe freight train service has brought significant development opportunities to Duisburg, strengthening economic ties and cultural exchange between Germany and China.

Markus Bangen, CEO of Duisburger Hafen AG (Duisport), noted that Sino-German cooperation has expanded beyond traditional logistics to include port infrastructure and storage services, expressing optimism for further collaboration.

"The China-Europe freight train has connected key regions in China, Europe, and Duisburg, allowing us to reach major production hubs in China more efficiently. We believe more opportunities will arise in the future, with additional regions being included in the service," Bangen said.

The first China-Europe freight train set off from Chongqing for Duisburg in March 2011. On Nov 15, 2024, the 100,000th train service made the same journey, representing a historic moment.

Today, Duisburg has become a vital hub for the China-Europe freight train network in Western Europe, with the most extensive routes, the highest frequency, and the largest cargo volumes and value.

100,000th China-Europe freight train trip reaches Germany's Duisburg