The ongoing crisis in Syria has been described by a senior UN humanitarian official as a “madness” that needs to be stopped through political dialogue.

UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria, Yacoub El Hillo said three years ago before the conflict began, Syria had “a very thriving and affluent civil society and middle class.”

He said it was a country with significant industrial capacity, trade and investments.

The civil war in Syria is entering its fourth year with no end in sight to the fighting.

Speaking to Elisabeth Phillip he said, Syria’s industrial capacity has been demolished by 80 per cent and half of the country’s people now live in poverty with unemployment at 48 per cent.

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