Syria: Over 2,000 civilians leave besieged town near Damascus
| Publisher | International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) |
| Publication Date | 14 October 2013 |
| Cite as | International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Syria: Over 2,000 civilians leave besieged town near Damascus, 14 October 2013, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/55cc9a4f4.html [accessed 2 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Over the last 24 hours, the Syrian authorities have allowed more than 2,000 women, children and elderly men to leave Moaddamiyah, a besieged town in Rural Damascus. With support from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Syrian Arab Red Crescent has been providing those who left the town with emergency relief, including food and water. Despite this very positive development, the ICRC remains extremely concerned about the people still in Moaddamiyah, who have little or no access to food or medical care.
"There are many more, including children, who remain in the town, which has been under siege for almost 10 months," said Magne Barth, head of the ICRC delegation in Syria. "We are particularly concerned about those who are sick or wounded. It is imperative that humanitarian aid and personnel be allowed into the town - and that is what we have been requesting repeatedly for the past two months."
Those who were allowed to leave Moaddamiyah were taken to shelters in the nearby town of Qudsaya, where the ICRC and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent delivered food rations, potable water and other emergency items. The situation they described in the besieged town is alarming.
The ICRC estimates that there are thousands of people left in Moaddamiyah, including hundreds who are sick or wounded and require urgent medical care. "We call on the Syrian authorities to allow the urgent delivery of medical supplies to all areas under siege in Rural Damascus," said Mr Barth. "In addition, all parties must ensure that the civilians remaining in Moaddamiyah are protected, that the sick and the wounded receive proper medical treatment and that those who wish to leave besieged areas can do so safely."
Under international humanitarian law, all parties to the conflict must allow and facilitate unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief intended for civilians. The parties must respect the right of the sick and the wounded to be treated and cared for without discrimination.
