more than 350,000 civilians are under siege by the IS in Der-Ezzor city
SOHR activists was informed that the IS prevented 3 trucks carrying food supplies from entering al-Jora, al-Qosour and other area under control by regime forces in Der-Ezzor city and under siege by the IS since the beginning of this year, activists also reported that IS fighters insulted and beat the drivers of the trucks who came from out of Der-Ezzor. The IS continue its siege as it is banning all medical and food supplies from entering areas under regime’s control in Der-Ezzor city which are inhabited by 350,000 civilians. The food prices continue to rise dramatically due to its rarity, the price of 1 kg of sugar rose to 7000 SP, 12000 for 1 kg of tea, and 9000 for gas cylinder, while the bread is being made by only 1 bakery in the city, in addition to loosing all kinds of drugs, gas, meat and chicken.
The Sources also reported that the employees are also prevented from entering areas under regime’s control to receive their salaries, without compensating them, what made them flee into other areas in Syria or Turkey running from this poorness which they suffer. At the same time, not regime forces or the IS prevented any civilians from leaving Der-Ezzor. The IS doesn’t allow former rebel and Islamic fighters from leaving the province of Der-Ezzor, only with a paper of approval.
The sources confirmed to SOHR that the regime prevented vehicles carrying vegetables and food supplies from passing from Syrian provinces into areas under control by the IS in Der-Ezzor city. During the past few days the IS went to sell grain stored in the 7km and 10km stores at the northern entrance of Der-Ezzor ” likely to dealers from Iraq”, the trucks have been seen carrying these grain to Aleppo countryside and Iraq, what rose the prices of the bread.
in terms of IS operations in selling properties in areas under its control in Der-Ezzor to dealers, the IS sold an under construction railway for constructors who were forces to remove the railways and ship it to unknown destinations. The IS also sold the iron of a paper factory to a Syrian contractor, the factory was bombarded by regime forces earlier in 2012 what led to fire in the factory lasted for 5 days. In the end of 2013, the IS with rebel and Islamic battalions sold ginned cotton in Der-Ezzor to dealers for 500 million SP, sources confirmed to SOHR that the cotton was moved into Turkish territories. The IS also sold machines and materials to many dealers for millions of Syrian pounds
It is worth to mention that the IS shot a civilian yesterday when he was trying to enter an area under control by regime forces around Der-Ezzor with his car. SOHR also documented the death of another civilian by the IS fire when he was trying to enter Der-Ezzor city from irregular roads. in the 9th of Feb/2015 the IS detained 30 civilians including 7 women when they were attempting to cross al-Janina crossing into areas under control by regime forces, sources reported the IS had beat many men of them.