Rebel Held Syrian Town Surrenders After Being Starved Into Submission

Malnutrition has been a problem among Moadamiyeh's about 8,000 residents for months [Al-Mayadeen TV]

Syrian Town Flies National Flag For Food -- Al Jazeera

Opposition-held Moadamiyeh agreed to also hand over heavy weapons and expel outsiders in exchange for needed supplies.

Residents of a blockaded opposition-held town near the Syrian capital have raised the flag of President Bashar al-Assad's government in exchange for food, activists said.

The deal accepted on Thursday by the town of Moadamiyeh, west of Damascus, is one of a number of local truces reached between opposition-held towns and government forces in recent months, although the terms - which also included the rebels handing over heavy weapons and expelling outsiders - are unusual.

For almost a year, the town has been surrounded by government checkpoints that have blocked food, clean water and fuel from reaching residents, in an attempt to drive out those opposed to the Assad government.

Read more ....

Update #1: After months of siege, rebel-seized Damascus suburb caves in -- Haaretz/AP
Update #2: Moadamieh accepts regime conditions for aid -- Daily Star

My Comment: No food, no water, and no fuel .... and the full brunt of winter is now into play. These residents had no choice .... surrender or starve to death.

Update: The Syrian government has broken this truce .... no food is being permitted to enter this town.