UN Ends 11-Year Cross-Border Humanitarian Aid Operation from Turkey into Syria

The United Nations officially wound down its cross-border humanitarian aid operation from Turkey into northwestern Syria, ending a lifeline that had been in operation since 2014 following UN Security Council authorization. Over more than a decade, the operation had delivered aid via more than 65,000 truck journeys to millions of Syrians in need. The closure followed Syria-Turkey agreement on commercial land routes under the new transitional government and was seen as a sign of improving bilateral ties. However, the UN warned that approximately 13 million Syrians still require food assistance and that closure of the formal cross-border mechanism must not result in a gap in humanitarian delivery. Turkish Foreign Minister signaled major infrastructure investments to facilitate Syrian trade.