Syria: Food shortages feared

(Baonghean.vn) - Food shortages are a concern for more than 200,000 people living in an area once controlled by rebel groups in eastern Aleppo, which is now besieged by the Syrian army.

People in Aleppo city, Syria line up to buy bread on July 12. Photo: AFP.

Mohammad, a 38-year-old unemployed father of four, told AFP he did not know what would happen to them. All roads were closed and there had been shortages of basic goods for days. Mohammad also feared that the authorities would not only besiege densely populated areas but also launch attacks.

In Aleppo’s Mashhad district, mechanic Mohamma Zaytoun said he was out of work due to a lack of fuel and had only enough food to last a week. Zaytoun had tried to flee the city but was unable to find a safe route.

Aleppo, once Syria’s economic hub, has been one of the hardest hit cities in the war. In 2012, the city was divided into two parts, with the west under government control and the east under rebel control. Over the weekend, government troops blocked all roads, completely isolating eastern Aleppo from the outside world.

Syrian girls on their way home after buying bread. Photo: AFP.

According to the United Nations, nearly 600,000 people are living in besieged areas in Syria with no access to food or medical assistance, causing many to suffer from malnutrition. As a result, dozens have died from hunger, cold, and disease.

The United Nations is deeply concerned by the escalation of violence that threatens hundreds of thousands of people in the city and has called on "all parties to allow humanitarian aid to reach them" and "allow civilians to evacuate if they wish".

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that food supplies in eastern Aleppo were only enough for one month to feed 145,000 people. However, the area has not received any assistance since July 7.

As the Syrian government tightens its siege on Aleppo, UN special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura recently announced plans to resume peace talks in August. Since the beginning of 2016, two rounds of talks on Syria have been held in Geneva without success.

Chu Thanh

(According to 20Minutes)