A cleric has issued a fatwa allowing starving
people in Syria to eat cats and dogs.
As Muslims around the world mark the Eid
al-Adha holiday, sharing festive meals,
children trapped in besieged areas around
the Syrian capital are going hungry,
activists and medics say.
'We issued a religious edict allowing people
to eat dog and cat meat. Not because it is
religiously permitted, but because it is a
reflection of the reality we are suffering,'
said Sheikh Saleh al-Khatib, who has been
on hunger strike for nine days.
'People here have nothing for their
children. I am on strike because I want to
help save food for others.'
Hunger: A boy eats maize as people shop
ahead of the Muslim festival of Eid-al-
Adha in Aleppo
Rubble: A girl pushes plastic containers
of water past rubble and damaged
buildings in Homs
Hard life: Children play with plastic guns
in Aleppo
In some areas children have died from
severe malnutrition, according to one NGO.
For Muslims, Eid is a time for children to
receive new clothes and play with friends after sharing a festive meal with their families.
But in a string of rebel-held areas under a
months-long army siege south and east of
Damascus, activists say food has all but run
out and doctors lack the means to treat
their patients.
'Of course there is no Eid for the children
here' in Moadamiyet al-Sham, a suburb
southwest of Damascus, said activist Abu
Malek.
'For them, Eid will come when they see a
plate of rice and bulgur,' he added,
speaking to AFP via the Internet.
Residents of Moadamiyet al-Sham are
surviving on herbs and vegetables they
have planted.
Shelling: A Syrian girl blows a balloon
beside ruins her family fled to in fear of
shelling in Jabal Al-Zawiya near Idlib
Supplies: In a string of rebel-held areas
under a months-long army siege south
and east of Damascus, activists say food
has all but run out and doctors lack the
means to treat their patients
'We no longer have any food in the
stockpiles. Everyone is planting in the
orchards and the streets,' said activist Abu
Hadi, adding that no bread had entered the
area for months.
But harvesting the food is dangerous, 'and
people have died in the orchards because
of the shelling', he said.
Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights, said many
children in Moadamiyet al-Sham were
malnourished.
'Children are worst off because they need
the right kinds of food in order to grow.
Adults can survive on whatever they can
find, but what about the children?'
The army says 'terrorists,' its term for the
rebels, have trapped civilians against their
will.
But activists accuse the military of using the
siege to try to turn people against the
rebels.
'It is a war crime to besiege civilians,' Abdel
Rahman said.
Shocking amateur videos have been
distributed by activists from the town,
showing visibly malnourished children.
people in Syria to eat cats and dogs.
As Muslims around the world mark the Eid
al-Adha holiday, sharing festive meals,
children trapped in besieged areas around
the Syrian capital are going hungry,
activists and medics say.
'We issued a religious edict allowing people
to eat dog and cat meat. Not because it is
religiously permitted, but because it is a
reflection of the reality we are suffering,'
said Sheikh Saleh al-Khatib, who has been
on hunger strike for nine days.
'People here have nothing for their
children. I am on strike because I want to
help save food for others.'
Hunger: A boy eats maize as people shop
ahead of the Muslim festival of Eid-al-
Adha in Aleppo
Rubble: A girl pushes plastic containers
of water past rubble and damaged
buildings in Homs
Hard life: Children play with plastic guns
in Aleppo
In some areas children have died from
severe malnutrition, according to one NGO.
For Muslims, Eid is a time for children to
receive new clothes and play with friends after sharing a festive meal with their families.
But in a string of rebel-held areas under a
months-long army siege south and east of
Damascus, activists say food has all but run
out and doctors lack the means to treat
their patients.
'Of course there is no Eid for the children
here' in Moadamiyet al-Sham, a suburb
southwest of Damascus, said activist Abu
Malek.
'For them, Eid will come when they see a
plate of rice and bulgur,' he added,
speaking to AFP via the Internet.
Residents of Moadamiyet al-Sham are
surviving on herbs and vegetables they
have planted.
Shelling: A Syrian girl blows a balloon
beside ruins her family fled to in fear of
shelling in Jabal Al-Zawiya near Idlib
Supplies: In a string of rebel-held areas
under a months-long army siege south
and east of Damascus, activists say food
has all but run out and doctors lack the
means to treat their patients
'We no longer have any food in the
stockpiles. Everyone is planting in the
orchards and the streets,' said activist Abu
Hadi, adding that no bread had entered the
area for months.
But harvesting the food is dangerous, 'and
people have died in the orchards because
of the shelling', he said.
Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights, said many
children in Moadamiyet al-Sham were
malnourished.
'Children are worst off because they need
the right kinds of food in order to grow.
Adults can survive on whatever they can
find, but what about the children?'
The army says 'terrorists,' its term for the
rebels, have trapped civilians against their
will.
But activists accuse the military of using the
siege to try to turn people against the
rebels.
'It is a war crime to besiege civilians,' Abdel
Rahman said.
Shocking amateur videos have been
distributed by activists from the town,
showing visibly malnourished children.
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