Since pro-government Syrian forces in early July captured Castello Road, the only remaining route which connects Eastern Aleppo City with the Syrian Opposition forces elsewhere in Syria, the situation is very grim for the remaining 300.000 inhabitants.
Last week army helicopters dropped leaflets identifying ‘humanitarian corridors’ for civilians to reach safety, but there is much skepticism about their safety. Research by PAX and The Syria Institute reveals that people are afraid of being shot by snipers when they pass through the corridors. This was confirmed on Thursday 28 July by one of our local sources in Aleppo who says that several people who tried to escape via the corridors were shot by snipers, leaving their bodies laying out in the open.
Aid packages were also dropped by the Syrian government, including food and diapers, but people fear the food may be poisoned.
Syrian government forces and allies launched an offensive at the beginning of February 2016. Despite some reprieve from February to May, Russian airstrikes picked up again in May and intensified to unprecedented levels in early June.