UN agencies condemn siege tactics in Syria

(Vatican Radio)  Aid workers who reached a besieged Syrian town on Monday with humanitarian aid spoke of "heartbreaking" conditions being endured by starving residents, with hundreds in need of special medical help.

United Nations agencies in Geneva supporting humanitarian efforts in Syria have condemned the siege in the town of Madaya where 40,000 people are trapped by encircling government forces and local doctors say some residents have starved to death.

Listen to Peter Kenny's report:

UN Under-Secretary General Stephen O’Brien has told the Security Council that the situation in Madaya is not unique. Almost 400,000 people in all of Syria are trapped in areas besieged by various parties to the conflict.

The UN says the use of siege and starvation as a method of war has become routine and systematic with complete disregard for civilian life in the war-torn-country.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says people in Madaya are getting their first provisions since October. Aid workers have found people in a miserable condition, and that children are severely malnourished.

Adrian Edwards, Spokesman for the UN Refugee Agency said there are landmines around where people need assistance: "The situation is horrible. There are people, there is no life…They are fighting for survival. People are selling their belongings to get food. One motorbike gets 5 kilos of rice."

Edwards said children are going out to collect grass to eat. It is one of the last nutritional resources available.