Despite harsh conditions, religious organizations are standing by to aid civilians on tumultuous roads blocked by Syrian rebels and soldiers. Some 250,000 people are confined to eastern Aleppo by rebels. The civilians had been blocked from aid prior to the operation cease-fire initiated. A similar cease fire initiated in February but quickly dismantled.
The civil disrupt began in 2011 when Aleppo was the largest city by population in Syria. A wave of gun fire and bombings flooded the city leaving the residents knee deep in hopelessness, clinging to dear life, and holding on to the hope that help will relieve them.
The war has accounted for several hundreds of lives and caused damages to utility and aid sources such as power, water, hospitals and clinics making it difficult to render relief to residents and civilians. The main access road has been cut off going to three different areas of Aleppo and rebels, jihadist, and islamist also assist by bringing supplies and food to proximal areas and neighboring towns.
For some the cease fire initiative offers promise while after several unsuccessful attempts in previous missions have proved futile to others who feel they are still in danger. If the ground aid support cannot advance to severely impacted areas it will prove fatal for those directly impacted. Limiting their food supply and medical materials, their health will deteriorate and quickly become a motivation for the regime that initiated the catastrophe. It could create more of a presence in these communities by the oppressors.
The cease fire initiative does not include such radical organizations as Islamic State or ISIS.
Support trucks rendering aid were in preparation of delivering supplies as long as the cease fire continued to hold. At least 18 out of 32 humanitarian aid trucks were hit by the attack. The Red Cross reported at least 20 civilians and one aid worker was killed in the attack. Neither Syria nor Russia has taken responsibility for the strike. According to reports Russians say they watched over the convoy (with drones) transporting aid to the civilians.
After seven days the cease fire ended Monday. Unfortunately no aid was rendered to the civilians due to the attack on the UN-Red crescent humanitarian convoy. Whether it was an airstrike or otherwise cannot be confirmed.
The U.S. State Department commented saying, "The destination of this convoy was known to the Syrian regime and the Russian Federation, yet these aid workers were killed trying to provide relief to the Syrian people," according to one news report.
The United Nations has suspended efforts of relief to the Aleppo residents following the attack on its humanitarian convoy. The efforts will be suspended while the situation is being assessed. In the meantime, SARC will suspend aid for 3 days in protest of the attack on the UN humanitarian aid convoy. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is withholding its aid convoy as well to multiple Syrian towns.
Debates continue to ensue over who was responsible for the attack.
