Residents of Syria’s E Ghouta Running Out of Food, Essentials – Russian Military

The fourth five-hour “humanitarian pause” began in Syria’s Eastern Ghouta on Friday at 10:00 a.m. Damascus time (07:00 GMT), civilians, who are practically facing the occupation by militants, are running of food and essentials, the Russian Center for Syrian reconciliation said.

“During the first day since the hotline was launched by the Center for Syrian reconciliation in the city of Damascus, we received more than 30 calls from civilians in Eastern Ghouta, as well as from their families and relatives in Damascus. In their appeals, people complain about the lack of medical care, water, food, electricity,” center’s interpreters' department head Aleksandr Maslennikov told reporters.

According to the official, some local residents attempted to bribe the militants in exchange for an opportunity to leave Eastern Ghouta, but the militants refused.

“We also received complaints about the fact that the militants increased the prices for basic necessities, as well as for food products by dozens of times. People do not have an opportunity to eat properly, and many are ready to resort to eating stray animals,” Maslennikov said.

Bombing Continues, No Medical Evacuations, Supplies Underway

Shelling and bombing continue in the Damascus neighborhood of Eastern Ghouta, preventing evacuation of those wounded from the area and humanitarian supplies to the district, the Medecins Sans Frontieres' (MSF) Moscow office said in a statement, sent to Sputnik.

"Past two days and nights, continued bombing and shelling, covering almost all of East Ghouta but mainly on the outskirts — very heavy in places. No medical evacuations out as far as we are aware. No supplies in as far as we are aware. Overall – the situation the same as before. Still bombing and shelling ongoing, heavy in some areas and less heavy (but still deadly) in others," the statement read.
 [sputniknews.com]
 2/3/18