Amnesty urges Syria regime to lift siege on Daraa Al-Balad

Amnesty International has urged the Syrian regime to lift the siege imposed on the Daraa Al-Balad neighbourhood and to allow humanitarian aid into the area where nearly 20,000 people are living in dire conditions.

“Thousands have fled Daraa al-Balad, a southern city of Daraa, since the siege began on 24 June. Humanitarian agencies have been unable to access the besieged area, bringing an end to the delivery of already limited humanitarian and medical aid,” the rights watchdog said in a statement on Friday, adding that the besieged residents of Daraa Al-Balad struggle on a daily basis to find “food, water, and medication, especially after the only medical point was forced to shut down after being hit by the [Syrian] government’s shelling.”

The statement quoted Diana Semaan, Amnesty International’s Syria researcher, as saying that the civilians are the ones “paying the price for battles they have never chosen”.

“The Syrian government must immediately lift the siege to facilitate unfettered access for humanitarian organizations and allow the medical evacuation of the sick and injured,” she added.

READ: Daraa Central Committee announce collapse of talks with Syria regime

Semaan urged all parties to the conflict to end unlawful attacks, grant safe passage to civilians wanting to flee the area, and comply with international humanitarian law at all times.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), as many as 38,600 people, mostly women, and children have fled from Daraa al-Balad to other parts of Daraa city and the surrounding areas.

Amnesty International said this came after the Syrian regime forces had briefly opened a checkpoint for people to leave the area.