SYRIA has been witnessing a humanitarian crisis since the outbreak of the Arab spring in 2011. The Syrian civil war has just marked its seven long years. According to a report in Dawn the Syrian civil-war has killed 340,000 people. The number of the dead is daunting.

A new wave of deadly air strikes and shelling and fighting on ground has been intensified by the regime and its loyalists in recent days, swelling the death toll further. The new fighting in embattled areas like Gouta has restrianed aid-givers from helping the war victims.

As the people of the war-hit enclaves are facing an acute shortage of food and medicine, this humanitarian crisis needs to be tackled seriously. All humane and peace-loving world powers are earnestly required to look for a political solution to the problem rather than politicise it for personal gain. The militarily approach can never lead to a peaceful end; rather it will further complicate the status quo.

Jaffar Baloch
Awaran

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2018