Al-Nachabiye: Population receives aid for first time after 5 year siege

​The village in Eastern Ghouta is part of the "de-escalation zones" established by cease-fire. Aid for 7,200 people.


 

Damascus (AsiaNews) - A village east of Damascus, besieged by the Syrian regime for five years, received UN aid for the first time yesterday. Al-Nachabiye is located in eastern Goutha, a rebel held region, which has now become a "de-escalation zone" under an agreement signed in May between Damascus and the rebels, as a preparation for a sustainable cease fire in Syria. 

A UN source told AFP that "this is the first time a humanitarian convoy has entered Al-Nachabiye for five years", distributing food aid and essential aid to 7,200 people.

Following the cease-fire declaration last July 22, 25, Russia distributed 10,000 tons of humanitarian aid to Ghouta. But the source close to the UN states that they are "inadequate". The region has suffered partial seiges since 2013 and total since 2016.

The Syrian war has lasted from 2011 and has caused at least 330,000 deaths so far. What originally broke out as an internal conflict, as part of the Arab spring and demanding democracy in the country, has become an international war where regional powers like Saudi Arabia and Iran and great powers like the USA and Russia are on opposing sides.