France asks UN to begin Syria air drops

France has called on the United Nations (UN) to begin air drops of humanitarian aid to besieged areas in Syria despite convoy deliveries of assistance to two towns.

The appeal comes ahead of a Security Council meeting tomorrow called to discuss access for humanitarian aid to the besieged areas.

French Ambassador Francois Delattre, who holds the council presidency this month, said yesterday that access to the towns and villages under siege remained blocked and blamed the Syrian regime.

"France is asking the United Nations and in particular the WFP (World Food Programme) to begin humanitarian air drops for all the areas in need, beginning with Daraya, Moadamiyeh and Madaya, where the civilian population, including children, risk dying of hunger," Delattre told a press conference.

An aid convoy earlier yesterday entered the town of Daraya for the first time since 2012 and a second delivery reached Moadamiyeh for the first time since March.

Both towns are besieged by Syrian forces.

The 20-nation International Syria Support Group (ISSG) had set June 1 as a deadline for the Damascus regime and all sides to open up access to areas subjected to starvation sieges.

The ISSG asked the WFP to begin preparations for air drops, although it remains unclear whether the Syrian government will give its approval for the planes carrying aid.

According to the UN, a total of 592,000 people live under siege in Syria – the majority besieged by regime forces – and another four million live in hard-to-reach areas.

Peace talks to end Syria's five-year war stalled in April after the opposition walked out over escalating fighting on the ground and lack of humanitarian aid.