Scale of suffering at Syrian refugee camp is revealed

 by photo of huge queue for food

Wednesday 26 February 2014

Aid is distributed at the Yarmouk camp in Damascus, where the UN says people have been reduced to eating animal feed. Since the photograph was taken, aid has ceased to be delivered because of security concerns

It is a scene of unimaginable desolation – a crowd of men, women and children stretching as far as the eye can see into the war-devastated landscape of Yarmouk refugee camp in Syria. This was the queue for aid at a UNRWA distribution point in the capital, Damascus, on 31 January. The UN relief agency has distributed more than 7,000 food parcels in the Palestinian camp, home to about 160,000 people, since 18 January. The UN has reported infant malnutrition in the community, which has been reduced to eating animal feed. As of this week, all aid distributions have been suspended because of security concerns. Chris Gunness, a spokesperson, said UNRWA had received assurances that a deal allowing humanitarian access to Yarmouk would be implemented as soon as possible. He said: “They have suffered enough.”

Photographer: UNRWA/AP

Syrian children suffer, adapt to war

Dr. Wisam Budleh helps Saddam with his exercises at the Syrian Medical Center in Reyhanli near the Turkish border, Feb. 24, 2014. (photo by Brenda Stoter)
Brenda Stoter-February 25, 2014

REYHANLI, Turkey — Three weeks ago, 15-year-old Mohammed was a normal, healthy boy. Although he lived in a war-torn country, he played with his friends and bought groceries for his mother whenever she asked. One day, he went to the bakery to get some bread for dinner later that night. Suddenly, he heard a big blast, fell to the ground and lost consciousness.

“When I tried to get up a few minutes later, I couldn’t. My leg was crushed," he told Al-Monitor.

. Scale of suffering at Syrian refugee camp is revealed by photo of huge queue for food by nelvely