UK slams Assad’s siege and starvation policy

A British official has criticised the Syrian regime’s policy of imposing a blockade over Syrian cities and starving their people ahead of an international meeting scheduled in London to discuss the situation in Syria yesterday.

British government spokesperson Edwin Samuel said the Syrian regime is using siege and starvation as weapons of war.

“The Syrian regime’s tactic is to impose a siege on the cities, most recently the city of Aleppo, where starving the people is a weapon of war… it must stop and respect its humanitarian responsibilities,” he said.

Samuel’s remarks come as the new British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson prepared to host a meeting of foreign ministers from Germany, France and Italy, and the EU High Representative to discuss the conflict in Syria.

“I will be making clear my view that the suffering of the Syrian people will not end while Assad remains in power,” Johnson will reportedly tell his European peers according to remarks published by his office ahead of the meeting.