UN’s Entire 21-Ton Food Drop on Syria ‘Lost or Damaged’

The UN made much of its air drop of 21 tons of food to the Syrian city of Deir Ezzor, at present controlled largely by ISIS but contested in fighting with Syrian troops. Today, the UN admitted that all 21 tons ended up either destroyed or “lost.”

Fearing that they’d get targeted by missiles, the plane flew at high altitude, and dropped the 21 palettes of food from up there, figuring they’d just parachute down into the drop area. That didn’t work nearly as wellas they’d hoped.

Four of the 21 palettes’ parachutes just flat out didn’t open, and smashed into the ground, being destroyed. Seven others opened, and landed, but ended up in the middle of a field of land mines, so they can’t be recovered at any rate. The last 10 are the biggest mystery.

UN officials say the last 10 palettes “drifted away” on their way down, and they have no idea where they landed or who ended up with them. These, at the very least, may not have been destroyed and may be feeding somebody, but who is unclear.