The gaunt figures of Syrians evacuated from Homs showed the effect of the 18-month long siege on the population.<br /><br />On day one of a three-day truce, the Syrian government evacuated 83 women, children and elderly persons from the rebel-held Old City.<br /><br />Many showed the signs of malnutrition. Aid workers with the World Food Programme said some had survived on a diet of leaves, grass and olives.<br /><br />The governor of Homs, Talal Al-Barazi expressed his satisfaction with the evacuation operations, saying that they had been successful despite logistical issues. “This is the first time in over a year that buses and visitors have managed to get to the Old City,” he added.<br /><br />Syrian authorities announced that evacuees would receive medical treatment and shelter, and humanitarian aid will be sent to those who choose to remain.<br /><br />Though the evacuation is a small step forward, a draft UN resolution demanding full access for aid workers across Syria was dismissed by Russia as a ‘non-starter’.
