Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Homs (Agenzia Fides) - A strong appeal to respect the humanitarian truce in Homs reaches Fides Agency by representatives of the Christian community, civic leaders and important Sunni Muslims of the city. Families trapped in the old city still have the hope that the team of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, yesterday forced away due to fire bullets, are able to deliver humanitarian aid and evacuate civilians. As sources of Fides in Homs report, there are two distinct areas to consider in the old city: Hamidiyeh neighborhood and Bustan Diwan, where 800 civilians are trapped, 400 Christians and 400 Muslim Sunni; the areas of Al Khalidiya and Al Qoussour, not far away, where there are about 1,000 Muslim families. Fides sources in Homs notice that the Red Cross and Red Crescent have spoken so far only of civilians trapped in Al Khalidiya and Al Qoussour, while the situation is very serious for women, the elderly, the sick, the children in Hamidiyeh and Bustan Diwan. Interviewed by Fides, a spokesman for the Red Cross in Geneva, Bijan Farnoudi, said that "the Red Cross, present in Homs, is trying to enter the old city. The districts mentioned are those we had information about, we will not make any difference and we will try to save all civilians. " Meanwhile, the Christian priests in Homs, who receive daily news from the trapped families, refer to Fides that "the situation deteriorates by the hour: the families are terrified, desperate, squeezed between gunshots, lack of food and medicine." (PA) (Agenzia Fides 22/6/2012)
