Dear Editor,
The world, it seems has learned to live with Syrian crises. Every now and then, the haunting images like that of Alyan Kurdi and Omran Daqneesh sparks mass outrage but nothing more significant. We are mere spectators to United States and Russia, well capable of bringing an end to protracted conflict, caught up in brinkmanship and a merciless leader, Bashar- al -Assad, inflicting genocide on his own people to stay in power. Syria is dying; already four lakh people dead,11 million displaced in five year long civil war and now a humanitarian catastrophe is staring at Aleppo , Syrian biggest city.
Once a major trading hub and world heritage site, the city is mostly rubble and sight of decimated buildings now. Under siege of Russian backed Syrian Army , with supply lines severed, close to 2,50,000 people trapped in the city are on the verge of starvation. In late June, in a bid to capture rebel held eastern Aleppo, Russia backed Syrian forces cut off the supply route of rebel controlled eastern Aleppo by taking control of Castello road, north of Aleppo. Besieged and desperate, rebels carried out a massive two pronged counterattack and opened up a new supply route at Ramouseh. However, the success was short lived as the Syrian Army recaptured Ramouseh completely seizing the eastern Aleppo. Things have turned worst for eastern Aleppo since then; 400 people have died and 1,700 wounded in Russian airstrikes on Aleppo so far. US brokered a seven day ceasefire with Russia to allow UN aid inside the city but the 18 truck human aid convoy carrying food and supplies was brutally attacked by air to surface missile killing 20 people. While both Russia and Syria are in denial of any such attack, it is no secret that Syrian Army is employing a “no holds bar approach” to capture Aleppo. Assad forces sense a victory and are going all out for it; even if it means pounding the besieged city with Chemical and cluster bombs. There seems to be no discrimination between rebels or children. Hospitals are not being spared too. Six hospitals have been attacked in air strikes last week. UN aid is obstructed, hospitals are damaged in attacks and causalities are piling up. Water supply has been damaged in attacks and there is a food shortage. A tiny ray of hope amidst the devastation are the “White Helmets”, a group of volunteers providing relief to war affected people. But Aleppo is coming apart and a humanitarian crises looms large. Under these circumstances there seems to be no solution in sight. Diplomacy has failed and UN is reduced as a toothless saber. Mistrust has developed between Russia and US with former accusing the later of facilitating a consolidation of rebel position during ceasefire period. No more than 48 hours ceasefire is Russian offer, which US has rejected. With talks failing, US is now contemplating a counter military action in support of rebels. Meanwhile, 3,000 Russian ground forces have landed in Syria to support Syrian forces.
In five years Syria has turned into a complex quagmire. There are too many players with different interests. There is an ethnic undercurrent and various terrorist organisations are thriving on unrest. Opposition to Assad seems to have no legitimate representation. This situation is working for Assad whose ouster is definite if normalcy is established in Syria. He cannot be imagined to be at helm especially after inflicting war crimes on thousands of people.
In coming days, we might see Aleppo falling to Syrian Army but at colossal cost of lives. In the history of brutal Syrian conflict, when the dust settles of the ruins, fall of Aleppo will be symbolic.
Nimit Suri
Roopnagar, Jammu
