Syrian gov’t, rebels agree to lift siege on four areas
The Syrian army and rebel groups on Tuesday signed an agreement that will allow an estimated 60,000 people to depart from four besieged areas of the country. The rebels are to lift the siege on the northwestern towns of Foah and Kefraya, and the Syrian army is to grant safe passage out of the towns of Madaya and Zabadani, near the capital Damascus. The humanitarian situation in the four towns has been described by international aid organizations as "dire" with hundreds dying each day due to lack of food, water, medicine and other basic supplies.