UN seeks urgent medical evacuation of 500 from Syria's eastern Ghouta
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The UN humanitarian adviser for Syria called on world powers on Thursday to help arrange the evacuation of 500 people, including 167 children, from the besieged Damascus suburb of eastern Ghouta, saying it has become a "humanitarian emergency".
Jan Egeland said nine people had died in the past few weeks while awaiting permission from the Syrian government for the sick and wounded to be evacuated from the rebel-held area to hospitals less than an hour drive from the capital.
Russia and Iran, as well as the United States and France had pledged to help during the weekly humanitarian meeting, he said.
