Mashnouq: To redress humanitarian repercussions in Arsal

NNA – Interior and Municipalities Minister, Nuhad al-Mashnouq, conducted over the past 24 hours intensive contacts and work meetings that focused on measures to redress the humanitarian repercussions of the armed clashes in Arsal’s outskirts.

“We need to work to alleviate the humanitarian burden that the host community in Arsal has suffered since the beginning of the war in Syria and its sacrifices in sheltering the displaced and bearing the consequences of militants’ presence in the area,” Mashnouq added.

He vowed continuous contact with all concerned within the army and security apparatuses, the Higher Relief Commission and international and local organizations, to ensure all necessary means to protect civilians and provide them with medical and humanitarian assistance.

In this context, the Interior Minister met with a delegation from the UN Higher Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) headed by Beirut’s Operations Office Deputy Director, Emmanuel Ganiac, in the presence of Higher Relief Commission Secretary General, Maj. Gen. Mohammed Khair.

In the same framework, the International Red Cross Committee Head in Lebanon, Christophe Martin, briefed the Minister on the adopted measures to provide emergency medical aid to civilians in Arsal region.