UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock on Thursday urged all concerned parties to provide the authorizations for humanitarian convoy to proceed in Syria without delay.

"Please provide the authorizations and facilitation letters and all the necessary security guarantees for the convoy to proceed without delay or impediment," the UN humanitarian chief told a Security Council briefing on the humanitarian situation in Syria.

"The situation in the north-west of Syria, where some 3 million people remain dependent on humanitarian cross-border operations, remains very challenging," he said.

The recent hostilities have reportedly forced nearly 15,000 people to flee their homes for neighboring villages, "with many people living in the open without adequate shelter during the cold winter months," said Lowcock.

He said the UN and non-governmental organizations continue to respond to ensure those in need get help, "but fighting and displacement make the situation more difficult and the population more vulnerable."

"Idlib remains on the edge of a humanitarian disaster," he said, noting that should there be a further escalation of violence, "the needs would quickly overwhelm the ability of humanitarian agencies to respond."

"Humanitarian organizations estimate that up to 6,000 people remain trapped in areas under the control of ISIL east of the Euphrates in the Deir-ez-Zor governorate, he said.

Noting that civilians continue to suffer as a result of both ground fighting and airstrikes, he pointed out that the last aid to reach displaced people in the area was in October.

"I also remain very concerned about the more than 40,000 people in Rukban, where we continue to receive reports of civilian suffering and death," said the UN humanitarian chief.

"Sustaining and scaling up the response is critical in other parts of the country, including in areas under the control of the government, where we now estimate that 8.7 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance," said Lowcock.

"We continue to engage with all parties to the conflict, including the Government of Syria, at multiple levels to negotiate access and ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches those most in need," he said. Enditem

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