U.N. abandons aid delivery after Syria insists on dangerous route

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Shooting forced the United Nations to abort a delivery of food and polio vaccines to a besieged area of Damascus after the Syrian government said it should use a circuitous and dangerous route, a U.N. spokesman said.

Aid workers in Syria have accused authorities of hampering deliveries to opposition-controlled areas and threatening groups with expulsion if they try to avoid bureaucratic obstacles to help the tens of thousands trapped in an almost three-year civil war. Syria blames rebel attacks for aid delays.