Tens of thousands of isolated Syrians waiting for relief aid

Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross told Itar-Tass on Thursday that tens of thousands of Syrians stranded in cut-off isolated areas were waiting for relief aid. They said that civilians in various parts of Syria were suffering from the absence of regular supplies of food and other essentials. It is necessary to get consent from all the parties in conflict for delivery of relief aid to those areas, which is sometimes difficult. Magne Barth who is leading the Red Cross Committee’s delegation to Syria said that it was necessary to be engaged in dialogue with all the parties concerned in order to gain access to the needy. According to Barth, the fact that 5,000 inmates in Aleppo’s central prison have been receiving regular food supplies over the past two weeks shows that constant dialogue with the parties in conflict could be fruitful. Both sides have agreed to allow humanitarian activities,” he added. The central prison in the town of Aleppo has been isolated from the outside world for several months. The International Committee of the Red Cross and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent organization kept receiving reports about acute food shortages for the prisoners. Regular food supplies were established after lengthy talks brokered by the International Committee of the Red Cross. A local charitable organization cooks the meals which the Syrian Arab Red Crescent volunteers take to the prisoners.