Syrians Still Waiting For Humanitarian Aid Amid Ceasefire
The first 36 hours of the Syrian ceasefire brokered by Russia and the United States appeared “positive,” a monitoring group said Wednesday, but activists warned that desperate people were still awaiting much-needed aid deliveries.
“The ceasefire is being implemented very well, despite some breaches. So far it has been persevering and protecting the Syrian people who have been paying a high price,” said Rami Adbulrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011, the Observatory estimates 301,781 people have been killed. More than half of Syria’s pre-war population of 22.4 million have been displaced, including nearly 5 million refugees who have fled the country.
The ceasefire excludes the Daesh extremist group and al-Qaeda-affiliated fighters. The al-Qaeda linked militants often fight alongside rebels against President Bashar al-Assad, adding a layer of complication to a ceasefire.
“It is hard to accept a continued intermingling and cooperation between the opposition and an organization which is al-Qaeda in Syria,” a senior US official said late Tuesday, adding that the rebel movement would have to “distance itself” if the ceasefire holds.
According to activists inside rebel-held eastern Aleppo city, calm is prevailing but people are waiting for aid agencies to be allowed access.
“People are anxiously waiting for food and medical aid to enter Aleppo,” Omar al Arab, an activist based in eastern Aleppo told dpa.
Between 250,000 and 275,000 people in east Aleppo have been cut off from assistance since early July, according to the United Nations.
UN officials said they are still awaiting “a green light” to move.
UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura told reporters Tuesday in Geneva that the UN was still waiting for an authorization from the Syrian government to deliver aid.
The Syrian government said it would not allow in unauthorized aid from Turkey, a staunch backer of the rebels.
This cease fire has been threatened by Israel. Israel is interested in keeping the fighting in Syria for long time. Israel is trying to establish a safe or security zone in Southern Syria, where the friendly terrorists of Israel can control the south of Syria. If this happens, Israel will ask the policy makers in the USA to establish a new region in southern Syria when Syria is divided. This area is to provide more safety and security area for Israel to keep its occupation of Palestine. In addition, Israel will keep US imperialism in the area to defend the State of Israel. All in all, US imperialism will pay for its war cost by squeezing the American people more and the terrorists will provide the blood for defending Israel and Israel will hold on the occupied Arab Land. On the top of that Israel will receive its $38 billion plus in military aid from the USA annually. In contrast, the Arabs and the Muslims pay huge money to buy American weapons and provide the blood for destroying their own nations. Therefore, Israel will not allow a cease fire to hold in Syria, and US imperialism will work very hard to divide Iraq into three regions in order to establish additional security zone for Israel. That is, Israel will be protected from all boarders. But that dream will not be materialized by the resistance of imperialism and occupation has been on the rise. Palestine will be liberated. Finally, President Obama has been the best imperialist president for the State of Israel and the worst enemy of the Muslim people.