Assad regime tightens siege on Waer Homs, medical aid blocked

(Translation by Yusra Ahmed)

Alwaer neighborhood of the central city of Homs has almost disappeared from the scene of the Syrian revolution, especially after the beginning of the Russian attacks on countrysides of Homs, Hama, Idlib and Aleppo two weeks ago, in conjunction with the start of the fierce attacks of regime and its allies on Hama city.

Alwaer neighborhood is the last opposition strongholds in the city of Homs, it has been under severe siege for three years, reached the top recently. 

People from Alwaer have confirmed that the regime forces have tightened the blockade on the neighborhood in the last two months, to deepen the suffering of tens of thousands of displaced people to the neighborhood besides its own residents. 

The sources told Zaman Al Wasl that regime forces and other sectarian militia still prevent the entry of food, medicine and humanitarian aids delivered by the World Health Organization(WHO). While about 150 thousand under frequent shelling from the regime and allies with different kinds of weapons, besides taking precautionary measures to hide the regime’s snipers.

Pharmacist Hassan confirmed for Zaman Al Wasl that the regime prevented the entry of the medicine this month, despite an agreement to deliver medicines was granted by the World Health Organization on the first Saturday of every month. He pointed out that the neighborhood’s pharmacies were about to close down as a result of acute shortage of all medical supplies, especially medicine for chronic diseases and children.

Hassan warned of medical catastrophe because the militias continue to prevent the entry of cars to deliver medicine and food besides transporting doctors to Albar hospital revealing that the lack of vaccines deepens the suffering of the besieged people and children where an urgent need for 11 thousand different doses of vaccine besides shortage of medical equipments essential for treatment in cases of emergency and injuries resulted from shelling.

Ammar, director of one of many relief associations in the neighborhood reported to Zaman Al Wasl that they would stop distributing food baskets in the next month due to lack of food resources because the regime forces prevent entry of the assistance from "OCHA" organization related to the United Nations and the World Food trucks, besides preventing cars of vegetables, cheeses and meats from entry for weeks ago. 

The estimated number of families registered in all the neighborhood associations and need food baskets on monthly basis reached to more than 16 thousand families, according to the director.

Mohammed al-Homsi, an activist from “Homs’s Media Center" pointed out to another reason may harden the suffering of people in Alwaer, which is preventing even money from entering the neighborhood, even money of families of prisoners, martyrs and even orphans besides salaries of employees who work within the regime’s institutions.

Al-Homsi stressed that the blockade has become very heavy on Alwaer as only one crossing barrier is open, with hard inspection for all passers though who are mainly students and employees, with special restriction for money and food, as each one is allowed to hold less that 2000 Syrian pounds, and one kilogram of vegetable. 

Alwaer lacks most basic materials like salt, sugar, besides tissue paper and supplies, stationery and study materials besides shortage of winter clothing essential for the coming winter.

Abo Amer, Civil Defence Regiment manager said that the military escalation of the regime has become hard in the last weeks, especially after the Eid’s massacre in children's playground led to 24 deaths, most of them children, women and more than 100 injured.

In an interview to Zaman Al Wasl, Abo Amer revealed that hardest difficulties face the civil defense team is the shortage of fuel as prices have risen, as the price of a liter of gasoline reached to 4,000 Syrian pounds, which put the team in real trouble due to the large number of cases and the lack of fuel that needed to run Ambulance and fire engines.

Alwaer recently witnessed a fierce military invasion in which the regime and its allies have used heavy weapons, rockets and snipers from various directions. 

Activists said that people of the neighborhood sent messages to the United Nations documenting violations of the regime, but found no interest, which led them to launch a appeals to the international community and organizations concerned in human rights to help in opening the crossings barriers.