(Zaman Al Wasl)- The local council of Uqayribat, a subdistrict of the Salamiyah city in Hama province, has renewed appeals to the International and humanitarian organizations and to the UN Security Council to lift the siege on the people of Aqirbat and to save them from the “tragedy before it happens.” The local council described what is happening as “the worst famine the civilized world which claims to defend human rights has witnessed”.
Ahmad al-Hamawai, the head of the local council, said that the misery of those besieged in the al-Atheeb Valley after they fled from the Islamic State in Uqayribat around a month ago. Since then, they have besieged amid catastrophic humanitarian conditions. More than 8,000 people are besieged in the area in addition to 6,000 people in the al-Jabriya collective in the eastern Homs countryside.
In a statement to Zaman al-Wasl, al-Hamawi said that if the siege continues with the indifference of international and humanitarian organizations the besieged are threatened with dying of starvation and thirst.
He pointed out that the little foodstuffs in their possession are almost finished and there is no bread and flour. The water they can access is not suitable for drinking as the water in this region is sulfuric, and the besieged depend on one well which is insufficient to cater to this large number of people. In addition, many water borne diseases have spread among the population exacerbating the problem.
“The severe shortage of food and potable water has led to deaths among the children present. Two children died due to malnutrition and water pollution. There are widespread diseases among the besieged children such as jaundice and malnutrition, as well as cases of dehydration and fever,” said al-Hamawi.
The besieged live in a desert area that does not have any of the basic elements to live. They are living without shelter or anything to protect them from the heat of the sun. The lack of tents has resulted in many people suffering from sun stroke or fever.
The head of the council pointed out that the healthcare situation is equally bad as all medication is not available even medication for chronic diseases such as blood pressure, diabetes and heart problems. One man who suffered from a heart disease died due to the lack of medication and others who suffer from chronic diseases may die unless they receive treatment.
Infant formula is not available which has caused malnutrition in infants and so far, four infants have died due to malnutrition. Many people were injured during regime and Russian air force bombing. They were unable to provide them with the necessary medical care and were forced to rely on primitive methods.
Al-Hamawi pointed out that some families were able to pass to safety and reach the liberated north. Others risked their lives in their attempts as regime checkpoints target the convoys which resulted in the death of some displaced persons and the injury of others.
He revealed that the number of families that have been able to reach safety does not exceed 300 families, barely 5% of the number of people besieged.
-Forgotten Uqayribat Chemical Massacre -
Zaman Al Wasl TV interviewed the discipled of Uqayribat who fled the ISIS-held territory to Idlib province. The interviewees talked about a forgotten chemical attack on Uqayribat by Assad regime last December that killed at least 90 people, saying it is no less important than the well-famed Khan Sheikhoun chemical attack that dragged U.S. Tomahawk missiles to hit Shayart airfield last April.
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