Syrians recount suffering under militant-imposed siege

Syrian civilians who have been evacuated from two militant-besieged northwestern towns recount their suffering under terror.

The civilians were allowed out of the towns of Kefraya and al-Foua in the Idlib province last December after Syria’s army and allied Lebanese resistance fighters of Hezbollah reached a truce deal with militants on their evacuation.

Press TV’s correspondent met with the community of the internally-displaced in the suburbs of the capital Damascus.

“When we were leaving Kefraya, militants did a strict checking to terrify us and provoke us. They also terrified our children,” said an evacuated Syrian, according to Press TV.

Another said, “Convoys delivered aid to al-Foua and Kefraya, but they are not enough. Militants used to rob the essential materials of these convoys.”

“We appeal to the United Nations and all the humanitarian organizations to stop the siege,” said one male as militants maintain the siege and keep violating the terms of the ceasefire agreement.

“We are here for emergency cases. Most of the cases are neurological damage and amputations due to lack of healthcare and all of those evacuated have malnutrition cases,” said medic Ashraf Haj Ahmad, who serves as a first aid clinic, set up in Damascus countryside to see to the different health problems of the evacuees.

Humanitarian crisis threatens the towns as the truce agreement is about to end next month and a new evacuation process is direly needed.

Some 400,000 people are under siege in Syria as the foreign-backed militancy is wreaking havoc across much of the country. 

The United Nations says about 20 Syrians died of starvation last year in the eastern city of Deir Ezzor, where Daesh terrorists have imposed a siege.  

“Severe cases of malnutrition are reported by health personnel particularly amongst children with unverified reports of 15 – 20 people dying from starvation in 2015 (of whom four were children),” the UN said in a report on Saturday.

The government recently agreed to facilitate the flow of relief aid into the southwestern militant-held town of Madaya which is surrounded by the army and allied forces. 

While the town has come under the spotlight of Western media amid claims of starvation, there has been nearly a complete media blackout on the situation in Kefraya and al-Foua.

 The Syrian government reiterated its commitment to cooperating fully with the UN and the Red Cross to deliver humanitarian aid to all civilians “without any discrimination.”

Reports say terrorist groups hoard aid packages sent to Madaya and sell it to the locals at inflated prices.

M.A.