UN renews Syria aid via Turkey but one of two access points shut

Millions of displaced Syrians in northwest to have only one border crossing to get aid as Russia prevails over UN vote.

Russia and China, which hold veto power at the council, wanted to halve the approved Turkey border crossings to one, arguing that northwest Syria could be reached from within the country.

In the session, the measure was approved by 12 of 15 members in the council's fifth vote this week on the issue, with Russia, China and the Dominican Republic abstaining.

For weeks, Russia, Syria's most important ally, had been demanding an end to the use of the Bab al-Salaam border crossing, which leads to the Aleppo region in northern Syria.

The successful vote came after two failed votes on Russian proposals and two vetoes by Russia and China of resolutions drafted by Germany and Belgium.

Acting British UN Ambassador Jonathan Allen said after the vote that the loss of aid access through Bab al-Salaam border crossing would deprive "1.3 million people in northwest Syria of cross-border humanitarian assistance that they rely on".

"One border crossing is not enough, but no border crossings would have left the fate of an entire region in question," Germany and Belgium said in a joint statement after the vote.