US condemns siege of Damascus suburbs

The US condemned Syrian regime for its siege of suburbs in Damascus, calling on government “to allow immediate and unfettered humanitarian access to these areas,” particularly on Muadamiyet Al-Cham, where residents have been without “basic necessities” for nearly a year.

“This siege has led to unprecedented reports of children dying of malnutrition-related causes in areas that are only a few miles from Bashar Al-Assad’s palace in Damascus,” said State Department Spokesperson Jennifer Psaki.

“The regime has reportedly allowed a limited number of civilians to evacuate from these areas, but this is no substitute for allowing desperately needed food, water, and medicine to reach the thousands of trapped civilians who remain under siege,” she added.

The US warned the regime “to not repeat the massacres of Houla, Banyas, and Baida and to not use limited evacuations of civilians as an excuse to attack those residents who remain behind,” noting that “those who are responsible for atrocities in the Damascus suburbs and across Syria must be identified and held accountable.” Describing the situation as “unconscionable,” the US called on the regime “to immediately approve relief convoys into these areas.”