UN refugee agency declares West Asia conflict as ‘major humanitarian emergency’

The United Nations’ refugee agency on Friday declared the conflict in West Asia as a major humanitarian emergency, and called for all fleeing civilians to be granted safe passage, AFP reported.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said that the crisis has led large numbers of people to escape their homes.

“UNHCR has declared the escalating crisis in the Middle East as a major humanitarian emergency requiring an immediate response across the region,” Ayaki Ito, the director of emergency and programme support at the agency was quoted as saying by AFP.
The official added that the recent escalation across West Asia have “triggered significant population movements”.

The figures given for the scale of displacement so far are likely an underestimate, Reuters quoted Ito as saying.

“It worries us very ⁠much, the ​numbers of the displaced populations ​and the lack of adequate water and sanitation,” the official said.

The conflict began on February 28 when Israel and the US launched a joint military operation targeting the Iranian government, triggering a retaliation by Tehran.

The attacks came amid tensions between the three countries over Tehran’s nuclear programme. Washington acts as a guarantor of Israel’s security. Israel has been claiming that Iran is close to obtaining a nuclear weapon, which could alter the regional security balance.

Tehran has long maintained that its nuclear programme...

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