Paul KeenanCitizens run risk of infection amid siege
Churches and mosques in the Syrian city of Aleppo have uncovered ancient wells in order to supply the beleaguered population with water.
As rebel fighters continue to besiege the city, fighters have seized pumping stations and now reportedly cut off supplies regularly to increase pressure on the population. In response, ancient places of worship have fallen back on their old sources of water to relieve the suffering of their congregations, now labouring through the city’s summer heat.
Speaking of the current situation to the Fides news agency, Armenian Archbishop Boutros Marayati of Aleppo said: “Many people have sought refuge in churches, which are being targeted.” On the opening of the wells he cautioned that the water is not fully fit for human consumption and warned that despite being forced by desperate need to open them, the move might yet lead to infections among the populace.
Meanwhile, On June 19, Syria’s neighbour, Turkey, announced that the number of Syrian refugees seeking safety in camps there has reached 1.05 million for the first time.