Report: Over 1 million besieged in Syria

Over one million Syrians are living under siege, a new report revealed.

“New data gathered by Siege Watch shows that there are well over 1,000,000 Syrians under siege in locations in Damascus, Rural Damascus, Homs, Deir Ezzor and Idlib governorates,” a report issued on Tuesday by the Netherlands-based aid group PAX and the Washington-based Syria Institute.

The report warned that the crisis is “far worse” than acknowledged by United Nations officials.

“Electricity and running water are usually cut off and there is limited (if any) access to food, fuel and medical care,” the report said.

The report stated: “Deaths have been reported from malnutrition, disease, hypothermia and poisoning while scavenging for food.”

“Some communities have been besieged for months or years,” it added.

The latest United Nations figures suggest that nearly half a million people are living under siege, with over half of them in areas besieged by regime forces.