UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 22 (UPI) -- The U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution Saturday demanding all sides in Syria's civil war allow "unhindered" access for humanitarian efforts.
The resolution calls on all parties in Syria -- "in particular the Syrian authorities" -- to "promptly allow rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access for U.N. humanitarian agencies and their implementing partners, including across conflict lines and across borders."
The Security Council also called for all violence in Syria to end immediately -- including attacks on civilians "through the indiscriminate use of weapons in populated areas" -- and condemned terror associated with the growing influence of al-Qaida.
U.N. officials have recently condemned the use of barrel bombs in air attacks targeting civilians.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said allowing humanitarian access can help alleviate civilian suffering, the United Nations said in a news release.
Ban said the resolution adopted Saturday "should not have been necessary," since international law already protect humanitarian assistance from hostilities.
The resolution strongly condemns violations of human rights and international humanitarian law by Syrian authorities, the U.N. News Center said.
