SYRIA: People brave the harsh cold weather and risk sniper fire in search of bread, queuing outside the only bakery still operating that is accessible to residents in the town of Qusair

Record ID: 280376

  • Title: SYRIA: People brave the harsh cold weather and risk sniper fire in search of bread, queuing outside the only bakery still operating that is accessible to residents in the town of Qusair
  • Date: 2nd March 2012
  • Summary: QUSAIR, SYRIA (MARCH 01, 2012) (REUTERS) RESIDENTS QUEUING OUTSIDE THE ONLY BAKERY STILL OPERATING IN THE TOWN OF AL QUSAIR PEOPLE IN QUEUE SHIELD THEIR FACES AGAINST COLD WIND BOY STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET CHEWS ON A PIECE OF BREAD AS HE CLUTCHES FLATBREAD IN HIS OTHER ARM MORE OF PEOPLE IN QUEUE SHELTERING FROM RAIN VARIOUS OF MEN PLACING SEVERAL ROLLS O
  • Embargoed: 17th March 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Syrian Arab Republic
  • Country: Syria
  • Topics: Conflict,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAEDQJMWYSTZJM563G6PXOAVHIY
  • Story Text: Dozens of residents of al-Qusair, bordering Lebanon, braved sleet and chilly wind on Thursday (March 01) to purchase packets of the flat bread that is a staple of many Syrian diets.
    The bakery is the only one left in the town that the residents can regularly access and is only open for two hours in the morning, with production limited and depending on flour smuggled across the border from Lebanon.
    "This bakery here is the only one making bread," said one local resident in the queue. "If I come to this bakery and say I want 10 pieces of bread, they will just give me five pieces. Why? The amount of flour they have is limited, they can't give everyone 10 pieces. There's no one that can take more than five pieces of bread. A lot of people have left, more than half the residents have left, and there still isn't enough bread," he added.
    The main bakery is often closed, and residents risk falling victim to sniper fire from government-held positions in the centre of the town when they try to access it.
    Earlier in February the International Committee of the Red Cross said Syrians living in areas hit by the conflict between the government and opposition forces are now struggling to find even basic foodstuffs.
    Residents in al-Qusair say shortages extend to fuel, with many families struggling to fight the cold weather.
    "The other thing is the diesel -- children need to keep warm. We can't live under these jackets. What will these children do? Bashar al-Assad put the petrol and diesel in his tanks, he isn't giving it to the citizens," the local, who preferred not to give his name added.
    Fuel prices are rising daily and have so far soared from 25 U.S. cents per litre to two U.S. dollars per litre. With many Syrians in embattled parts of the country unable to maintain jobs incomes have been severely affected and families face a struggle with surviving harsh cold weather.
    The main United Nations human rights body condemned the government of President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday for violations in Syria that it said may amount to crimes against humanity, and called for a halt to attacks on civilians.
    The Council said Syrian violations included shelling of civilian areas that has killed "thousands of innocent civilians", executions, the killing and persecution of protesters, the deaths of Syrian and foreign journalists, arbitrary detention and interference with access to medical care.
    It voiced strong concern at the deteriorating humanitarian situation and called for food, medicines and fuel to reach besieged populations.
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