Madaya Syria: Aid Convoy Sets Off for Besieged Town

Small towns in rural Syria are blocked from basic supplies due to a protracted civil war and blockades: “only 10% of the UN's requests to deliver aid to people to in besieged and hard-to-reach areas were granted,” reports BBC News. “Blockades have been a feature of Syria's civil war but the plight of Madaya has drawn international attention, partly due to images emerging of severely malnourished residents.” A deal is allowing 65 trucks to deliver basic supplies for three communities – Madaya in the rebel-held south and pro-government Foah and Kefraya in the north. Activists claim malnutrition is widespread in a country where half the population is under the age of 23. Since March 2011, when Arab Spring protests erupted against the government, more than 250,000 Syrians have lost their lives and 11 million have been displaced. The civil war is complicated, with no end in sight. BBC estimates that as many as 1000 opposition groups fight in Syria with 100,000 fighters. – YaleGlobal