Besieged Aleppo Civilians Caught in a Death Trap

Beirut- Paris- Bashar al-Assad’s Syrian regime did not stop at launching a military campaign against the eastern besieged areas of Aleppo, but had also resorted to psychological mass media warfare in order to intimidate and promote data on dozens of Syrian opposition fighters turning themselves in.

News flashes on civilians exiting eastern Aleppo neighborhoods were circulated. Most of the routes allegedly being used are believed to be “death traps” by the Syrian Opposition.

Syrian opposition leaderships and besieged civilians soon denied all allegations made by Assad’s regime and announced that Free Syrian Army (FSA) forces still hold their grounds across eastern Aleppo.

Sources at the FSA told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that opposition fighters launched on Saturday a counteractive offensive afterwhich they were able to restore their control over a residential compound laid at the outskirts of Bani Zayd neighborhood, eastern Aleppo.

“All developments being broadcasted are part of a mass media war which aims at forging victories on the regime’s behalf,” sources said.

For its part the Syrian Network of Human Rights covering victim civilians in Aleppo reiterated the scandalous nature of the false allegations being made, stating that it is a “major scam being pulled by the Assad regime and Russians.”

The networks’ report clearly stated that Russian and regime-backed forces take no regard of Syrian civilian life, and that Assad-backing air campaigns and artillery have caused civilian casualties on a daily basis.

On the matter of civilians safely exiting the heated conflict zone, the report stated that any process of the sort must be overlooked by United Nations organizations, The International Red Cross organizations and covered by independent third party journalism.

Executive Director of the Arab Reform Initiative Bassma Kodmani had also denounced the dire humanitarian suit in Aleppo, labeling it as a leave or starve to death situation.

Aleppo resident, Abu Ahmed, 50, and father to four reported to AFP that the humanitarian situation is further waning, and that food is growing scarce.

As for the political process, all eyes are turned to what would become next week of the primeval agreement brokered by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Moscow 14 days ago. The accord is believed to be threatened by developments occurring in Aleppo.

Asharq Al-Awsat procured data shows that both Russian and U.S. forces are working on establishing common targets which their air power can coordinate cooperatively. The targets, to be surgically removed, are laid out inside ISIS and Al-Nusra Front strongholds.

The U.S. is expected to ask opposition forces to draw away from Al-Nusra factions. However, what complicated the situation is that Al-Nusra Front Leader Abu Mohammad al-Julani had recently revoked his forces’ allegiance to al-Qaeda.

Besieged Aleppo Civilians Caught in a Death Trap