Homs ceasefire: A turning point?
As relief arrives in the besieged city and some people are allowed out, we ask what it means for the conflict.
Homs – a major city in Syria – was once a bustling centre of economic activity, but now it is in ruins.
It has been the scene of intense fighting and a government seige for weeks. But in a glimmer of hope, a three-day ceasefire is under effect. As a result of this, dozens of people have been allowed out, and food aid is slowly trickling in.
It is part of a UN-brokered deal between the government and opposition fighters.
Up to 2,500 civilians are said to be living in squalid conditions in the city, many are starving and now some are leaving. But not everyone will have that luxury; men between the ages of 15 and 55 are forced to stay put.
In a statement the Syrian opposition coalition said: “The SNC appreciates the United Nations’ efforts to supply food to the besieged areas … but evacuating some civilians from Homs might be a prelude to the destruction of these areas by the regime.”
On this episode of Inside Syria, we ask if this temporary ceasefire agreement could be a sign of a possible turning point in a war that has raged on for nearly three years.
Presenter: Adrian Finighan
Guests:
Bassam Imadi, a former Syrian ambassador to Sweden and a member of the foreign relations committee in the Syrian National Council
Laure Chedrawi, a spokesperson for the World Food Program in Syria