Cash-strapped UN food agency reduces help to Syrian refugees

[Little Tich]

Source: Yahoo! News / AP

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The United Nations' food agency is cutting back on assistance to thousands of Syrian refugees after an appeal for a ceasefire to enable Syrians feed themselves went unheeded, World Food Program Executive Director Ertharin Cousin said on Friday.

The WFP appealed in May for a humanitarian pause in fighting in Syria to let farmers harvest a bumper wheat crop in the country's northeast, an Islamic State movement stronghold, and bring it to markets in Syria's west, including Aleppo and Homs.

Cousin said because there was no ceasefire, the wheat is being stored at the farming belt and will likely be sold in Turkey.

"We're very disappointed that the calls for a cease in the fighting to support the harvest was not heeded by the parties," Cousin told The Associated Press.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/cash-strapped-un-food-agency-reduces-help-syrian-010232838.html

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