(Zaman Al Wasl)- Pro-Syrian regime militia looted a UN aid convoy delivering food rations and medicine to the besieged neighborhood of al-Waer neighborhood in Homs city, local activists said Tuesday.
The 22 lorries were carrying food, medical supplies and winter clothes for almost 60,000 people in al-Waer, last rebel-stronghold in the central city.
Liwa al-Rida had seized and emptied 22 trucks of their food and medicine and brought the aid intended for al-Waer residents back to villages the militia controls in the Homs countryside, as a driver of one of the trucks confirmed that militias forced some trucks to go to pro-regime village of al-Mazraa.
Al-Waer had for months been spared much of the intense violence raging elsewhere in the country, as the regime tried to conclude an agreement with insurgents there.
Bombardment of the district resumed earlier this month, rescue workers and the Observatory reported.
Pro-Syrian government media outlets have said strikes were in response to rebels firing at residential areas of government-held Homs neighborhoods.
The international organization could not manage to return more than 13 trucks despite all the official power it used to sort the matter out.
A worker of the Syrian Red Crescent talked on condition of anonymity reported that drivers were detained and humiliated and beaten before emptying their trucks.
There was no official response by the Syrian regime or the militias about the accusations of the unacceptable act against the aid delivery.
The Shiite militia released all drivers and humanitarian workers late Monday evening, according to the spokesman of the International Committee of the Red Crescent.
The opposition Syrian National Coalition demanded the international organisation to find a way to air-drop into al-Waer neighborhood without coordination with the regime.
Moreover, council of the Liberated Homs city has appealed to international aid and human rights organisations to start plans for aid air-dropped into the neighborhood.
The council’s statement explained that al-Waer has been under siege from 2014, and has not received any aid from almost 4 months.
Al-Rida militia is one of the Shiite militias supported by Iran, active mainly in Homs and countryside region. it has been besieging the southern part of al-Waer neighbourhood.
Damascus has tried to conclude a deal in al-Waer that would see rebel fighters and their families leave the district and the government take over. Under similar local agreements in other parts of western Syria, rebels have left with light weapons and headed mostly for Idlib province.
The opposition says such agreements are part of a regime strategy to forcibly displace populations from opposition-held areas after years of siege and bombardment.
In September some 120 rebel fighters and their families left al-Waer in agreement with the government, but there have been no further reports of insurgents leaving. The Observatory estimates several thousand rebels remain there.
The 22 lorries were carrying food, medical supplies and winter clothes for almost 60,000 people in al-Waer, last rebel-stronghold in the central city.
Liwa al-Rida had seized and emptied 22 trucks of their food and medicine and brought the aid intended for al-Waer residents back to villages the militia controls in the Homs countryside, as a driver of one of the trucks confirmed that militias forced some trucks to go to pro-regime village of al-Mazraa.
Al-Waer had for months been spared much of the intense violence raging elsewhere in the country, as the regime tried to conclude an agreement with insurgents there.
Bombardment of the district resumed earlier this month, rescue workers and the Observatory reported.
Pro-Syrian government media outlets have said strikes were in response to rebels firing at residential areas of government-held Homs neighborhoods.
The international organization could not manage to return more than 13 trucks despite all the official power it used to sort the matter out.
A worker of the Syrian Red Crescent talked on condition of anonymity reported that drivers were detained and humiliated and beaten before emptying their trucks.
There was no official response by the Syrian regime or the militias about the accusations of the unacceptable act against the aid delivery.
The Shiite militia released all drivers and humanitarian workers late Monday evening, according to the spokesman of the International Committee of the Red Crescent.
The opposition Syrian National Coalition demanded the international organisation to find a way to air-drop into al-Waer neighborhood without coordination with the regime.
Moreover, council of the Liberated Homs city has appealed to international aid and human rights organisations to start plans for aid air-dropped into the neighborhood.
The council’s statement explained that al-Waer has been under siege from 2014, and has not received any aid from almost 4 months.
Al-Rida militia is one of the Shiite militias supported by Iran, active mainly in Homs and countryside region. it has been besieging the southern part of al-Waer neighbourhood.
Damascus has tried to conclude a deal in al-Waer that would see rebel fighters and their families leave the district and the government take over. Under similar local agreements in other parts of western Syria, rebels have left with light weapons and headed mostly for Idlib province.
The opposition says such agreements are part of a regime strategy to forcibly displace populations from opposition-held areas after years of siege and bombardment.
In September some 120 rebel fighters and their families left al-Waer in agreement with the government, but there have been no further reports of insurgents leaving. The Observatory estimates several thousand rebels remain there.
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