EXCLUSIVE: Homs Doctor Pleads for End to Carnage

A ring of fire around Homs has trapped thousands of residents in a murderous turkey shoot, according to a doctor and activist stranded in the besieged city.

In an exclusive interview by phone with IBTimes UK, Dr Abu Rami al-Homsi said that the humanitarian situation was reaching a critical point and begged the outside world to put a stop to the Syrian military's murderous onslaught.

Despite President Bashar al-Assad promising to the end of violence, al-Homsi said shelling and bombing conmtinued and residents could not escape.

"Every day it is the same horror - the same bombing, same shelling. More than 60 people have been killed today. That includes children and women.

"Eighteen infants died in hospital following power cuts."

Five days of violence have exacted a huge toll on the city's inhabitants, he said.

"People can't escape. There are explosions, shootings. The forces are also using nailbombs and fire rockets," he said.

"The troops mainly target civilian districts."

The neighbourhood of Baba Amr was among those most affected. The security forces operate from outside the city, making it impossible for residents to know where and when the next target will be or to escape.

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"The shelling is still going on and every five minutes we have at least three explosions,

"We don't know where the shelling is coming from - they are fighting from outside the centre of the city."

"Yesterday they targeted the field hospital in Baba Amr. They killed three doctors. The constant insecurity makes it very difficult to rescue people as another explosion could take place at any time," he explained.

"We have shortages of medicine, blood bags and it is difficult to perform medical operations with electricity cuts in addition to all the shortages.

"We need medical assistance, the humanitarian situation is critical. People also suffer from food shortages.  We are cut off from the rest of the world and as days go by the shortages increase. It needs to stop now."

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