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Iraq

Siege Broken, UNICEF Delivers Aid to Children of Amerli, Iraq

September 3, 2014

UNICEF has delivered 45 metric tons of lifesaving supplies to children, women and families who have been trapped in Amerli.

The siege of Amerli by militants in northern Iraq is over, and UNICEF has delivered 45 metric tons of aid to the families who have been trapped there for two months.

“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.

Seven Trucks with Supplies for 15,000 People

The UNICEF supply convoy consisted of seven trucks dispatched from Erbil directly to Amerli and included the mayor of Amerli as a passenger. This delivery, the first in a series of planned aid convoys, is now supporting 15,000 people with family food packs, oral rehydration kits for health clinics, therapeutic food for malnourished children, hygiene kits and water.

UNICEF Iraq has been providing updated information through its Twitter feed on the effort to reach Amerli's families and children.

 

Helping 650,000 Displaced Iraqis

The delivery in Amerli is one part of UNICEF’s massive humanitarian assistance operation in Iraq. Since January, UNICEF has delivered aid to 641,243 displaced Iraqis, reaching more than 300,000 people in the last month alone including families and children driven from Sinjar province, some of whom are now seeking safety in Syrian camps.  

A UNICEF-supported polio campaign reached 3.75 of 4 million targeted children last month despite ongoing violence in the country. With two confirmed cases of polio after 14 polio-free years, Iraq is extremely vulnerable to a wider outbreak of the crippling disease. 

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