Houla residents flee to neighbouring village

Thousands of residents from Syria's central town of Houla have fled in terror to a nearby village following last Friday's massacre in which over a hundred people were killed by Syrian forces. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported the news after its team returned from an aid mission to the area. A spokesman said: "Both ICRC and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) went to the Houla area yesterday. Specifically they went to Burj al-Qa'i village, where the team found some 5000 displaced people, mostly women and children. Many are staying in schools, or with local families, or wherever they can find shelter. People were worried, uncertain of their future and felt unsafe. Being freshly displaced from their homes, the people had almost nothing to sustain themselves." He also gave details of the aid that was distributed: "The ICRC and the SARC provided them with with food parcels (rice, tuna cans, cooking oil, tea and more) and fresh vegetables (1/2 ton each of potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, and eggplants), bread, 800 mattresses to sleep on, 350 cans of baby milk, pampers, soap and candles." In addition to this, water tanks were installed and filled with water in schools and other places where the displaced persons are taking shelter. Some medical items were also supplied.