Regime forces on Monday hit Alwaer district in Homs with mortar and tank shells, killing two civilians and injuring 11 more.
Nearly 100,000 civilians live in the district which has been under siege by regime forces for over three years. 26 areas across Syria are also under siege by Assad forces. Dozens of civilians trapped in these areas have starved to death, mostly children. Most of the deaths took place in the town of Madaya in rural Damascus.
Member of the Syrian Coalition’s legal committee Marwan Rifai on Monday criticized the indifference and inaction shown by international organizations, in particular the UN agencies, towards the plight of the Syrian civilians trapped in areas besieged by the Assad regime. Rifai referred to the failure of the UN and other organizations to deliver humanitarian aid to the town of Daraya in rural Damascus and the district of Alwaer in Homs last week.
A medical source in Alwaer on Sunday said that most of the medicine in the district have expired, especially serums, antibiotics, and blood bags. The source added that the residents have informed international organizations about the situation in the district, but all what they were offered were “promises.”
Rifai said the lack of legal and humanitarian responsibility shown by the United Nations and director of de Mistura’s office is unacceptable, adding that this lack of responsibility stands in contrast to the role humanitarian and human rights organizations should play. It also contravenes the Security Council resolutions 2165 and 2254, particularly Articles 12, 13 and 14 of UN resolution 2254. “These articles clearly call for access of humanitarian aid to the besieged areas and for making cross-border aid deliveries without the Assad regime’s consent,” he added.
Rifai expressed surprise at the United Nations’ use of the Assad regime’s refusal to allow aid into Alwaer as an excuse justify its failure to relieve the civilians trapped by regime forces. He criticized the UN’s yielding to the crippling red-tape procedures imposed by the Assad regime. “Is it logical to ask the criminal to mitigate the effects of his crime?” Rifai asked. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
