Humanitarian crisis emerging in Aleppo

Syrian Revolution News Round- up / Day 516

As violence continues to escalate in Aleppo, those who have not fled face an imminent humanitarian crisis.

Authorities continue to assault the rebel-held neighborhoods of Sakhour, Masaken Hanon, Haydariya and al-Bab Road, blocking all food and medical supplies and cutting off electricity and communications for the fifth day in a row, causing food spoilage and the closure of all the bakeries. The shortage of medical supplies also makes it difficult to treat injured civilians, prompting a mass exodus to western areas such as Hamadaniya and Jamaa where humanitarian conditions might be slightly better. Regime forces also continued the bombardment of the neighborhoods of Saladin and Aameriya, gradually leveling them to the ground. Clashes renewed near the Central Bank in Sabaa Bahrat Square in Damascus as well as on the Baghdad Street, in Marjeh Square and in the neighbourhoods of Sha’laan, Hamra, Salhiya and Barzeh.

A helicopter gunship defected and attacked a military convoy while raiding the Damascus suburb of al-Tal where more than 11 people died after heavy shelling that also targeted the towns of Hamouriay and Saqba. Hundreds of troops with tanks entered the town of Kanaker, raided it, arrested dozens of civilians and wounded many more.

The Free Syrian Army said it has seized power in the Idlib suburbs of Jarginaz, Saraqeb and Kafarnable. In response, regime fighter jets bombed the towns of Kafrouma and the villages of Shanan and Barrah, while its tanks—accompanied by more than 5,000 troops—carried out sweeps, arbitrary arrests, looting and arson in the town of Ariha, causing several casualties and destroying several houses.

Regime forces resumed attacks on the city of Homs as well as its provincial towns of Rastan and Qsair while carrying out sweeps, arbitrary arrests and arson in the village of Nazariya after shelling it for several hours. They also shelled the neighbourhood of Hamidiay in Hama city and its provincial town of Qastoun. Troops resumed shelling the city of Daraa and its provincial towns of Bosra and Taffas, killing scores of people and wounding many more. They also resumed shelling the city of Deir Azzour and its provincial towns of Ashara and Bouleil, destroying several houses and killing several people. They also shelled the villages of Akrad and Turcoman mountains in the province of Latakia and raided the Raqa suburb of Solouq, leaving two people dead.