Aid convoys arranged by local and international organisations have reached three besieged towns in Syria, where thousands are trapped and some have died of starvation. The convoys are part of a deal between the government and rebels to let supplies into besieged areas. Trucks first arrived to the rebel-held town of Madaya, located west of Damascus and near the Lebanese border. It has been under siege by government forces and Hezbollah fighters since July.
Aid convoys later reached two towns besieged by rebels in Idlib province, Fouaa and Kefraya.
The World Food Programme said the aid carried on the Madaya convoy will meet the needs of 40,000 people for one month. Abou Ammar, a media activist in the town, said local aid organisations had been waiting since early morning for supplies to arrive.
“We have all been eagerly waiting since 5am. The situation here is getting worse and it’s about time this operation goes through,” he told Al Jazeera over the phone. One person died due to starvation hours before the convoys arrived, he said, adding to reports of dozens of deaths related to hunger.
