Off the wire
Egypt's Sisi: all assumptions possible behind the plane crash  • Intense airstrikes target main rebel-held supply road into Syria's Aleppo  • Weather forecast for major Chinese cities, regions -- May 22  • Weather forecast for world cities -- May 22  • Top news items of Kenyan major media outlets  • Chinese metal miner steps up overseas buying  • 3 Al-Shabaab militants killed in central Somali town  • Iraqi forces call on residents of IS-held Fallujah to prepare for withdrawal  • Interview: British actor Joseph Fiennes speaks high about working experience in China  • Israel renews cement import to Gaza  
You are here:   Home

Relief aid enters 2 besieged districts west of Syrian capital

Xinhua, May 22, 2016 Adjust font size:

Aid convoys started entering two adjacent besieged districts west of the capital Damascus on Sunday for the first time in a year, a well-informed source told Xinhua.

The relief aid started entering the districts of Qudsaya and al-Hameh, located on the western slope of Mount Qasioun, around 7 km west of Damascus, the source said on condition of anonymity.

Both areas have been besieged by the government troops for a year, as some of the opposition militants had reportedly broken a truce they had previously concluded with the government forces.

The siege has been tough on the regular civilians, who have been caught up in the middle of the conflict for years.

Last week, the Minister of National Reconciliation Ali Haidar visited Qudsaya in what appeared to be a prelude to re-opening the road to the area after certain conditions have been agreed upon.

The UN has repeatedly urged the warring sides in Syria to break the sieges on certain towns to save the civilians from extra calamities. Enditem