UN warns of 'shocking' starvation in besieged Damascus outskirts

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al-Hussein warned on Friday of the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the besieged eastern outskirts of Damascus, AlKhaleejonline.com has reported. The senior UN official described the situation in the besieged areas as “shocking” and called upon the parties to the conflict to allow food and medicines into the relevant areas to help at least 350,000 besieged Syrians.

“The shocking images have recently emerged showing children seemingly suffering acute malnutrition,” said Al-Hussein. “This is a frightening indicator that the Eastern Ghouta residents are experiencing a crisis and facing an emergency humanitarian situation.”

According to Reuters, relief workers and residents report that people are heading towards starvation in the area controlled by the opposition.

The High Commissioner concluded:

I remind all the parties that causing intentional starvation amounts to a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and could be considered a crime against humanity or a war crime

Read: 397 civilians under siege starve to death in eastern Ghouta