Senate

Kaine: ‘World will be watching’ if Syria blocks humanitarian aid

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) demanded Sunday that Syrian President Bashar Assad allow humanitarian assistance for Syrians struggling in the ongoing civil war.

Kaine’s comments came a day after the United Nations (UN) Security Council unanimously approved a resolution requiring all factions in the ongoing civil war to let assistance be delivered to millions of Syrians.

{mosads}“It is now incumbent on the Syrian regime to allow unhindered access of humanitarian goods to all Syrians. Opposition groups have this same obligation,” Kaine said. “This resolution is a signal to anyone who obstructs the delivery of humanitarian goods that the world will be watching.”

More than 100,000 people have been killed in the conflict between rebels and Assad’s regime.

Kaine recently visited the region and said he wished the resolution would have passed sooner.

“While it has taken too long for the U.N. Security Council to act — largely due to Russian obstruction — this resolution, if fully implemented, is a good step forward,” Kaine said. “I believe humanitarian relief is something that should not need to be negotiated, which is why I called for a resolution weeks ago after meeting with victims of the civil war and chemical weapons attack in Syria.”

Russia has been supplying Assad with weapons during the conflict and have helped keep him in power.