Homs evacuation suspended due to logistics

UN agencies have launched an operation to evacuate civilians from the besieged Syrian Old City of Homs and to deliver food and medicines.

Syrian civilians walks as they are evacuated from Homs

An operation to evacuate civilians from the Syrian city of Homs has been suspended for a day. (AAP)

An operation to evacuate civilians from besieged rebel-held areas of Syria's third city Homs has been suspended for a day because of "logistical problems," the provincial governor says.

"Today, operations didn't take place for logistical and technical reasons," Homs governor Talal Barazi said on Tuesday, without elaborating.

"The evacuation of civilians and delivery of food aid will continue tomorrow (Wednesday) morning," he added.

Under a deal brokered by the United Nations, the Syrian Red Crescent and UN agencies launched an operation on Friday to evacuate civilians from the besieged Old City of Homs and deliver food and medicines.

An initial three-day truce was extended on Monday for another 72 hours, but deliveries and evacuations never got underway on Tuesday.

Rebel-held areas of the central city have been army blockade for some 600 days. Nearly 1200 civilians who wanted to escape the siege have been evacuated since the operation began.

They have described surviving on little more than olives and wild plants as food supplies in the districts dwindled.


1 min read

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Updated

Source: AAP



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