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The Siege of Zakia: A Stranglehold on Daily Life in Western Ghouta
For about a month, Syrian regime forces have imposed a tight siege on the town of Zakia in the Western Ghouta region of Damascus, subjecting its residents to suffocating living conditions and daily hardships.
Special sources from the town told Syria TV that the Fourth Division and military security forces have set up checkpoints around the town and closed main roads, leading to a complete halt of schools, markets, and institutions, as if life in the town has come to a standstill.
The sources explained that the siege began following an incident where regime forces directly shot at two young men at one of the checkpoints, igniting the anger of the locals and resulting in armed clashes.
These events prompted the regime forces to tighten the siege and impose strict security measures, taking advantage of the situation to extort the residents and impose levies on them.
The sources indicated that the entry of food supplies into Zakia has become contingent upon negotiation, forcing locals to pay money for the permission to bring in their basic necessities, while residents suffer from humiliating inspection procedures aimed at degrading them.
Residents confirm that even the simplest needs, such as fruit, are no longer available except after significant hardship and enduring inspections that can reach levels of humiliation.
The townspeople live under the oppression of this siege with constant anxiety and tension, as young people avoid moving around for fear of arrest or sudden raids.
Zakia is witnessing ongoing tensions due to attempts by the Fourth Division to establish its cells in the town and destabilize it through the dissemination of drugs and executing assassination operations.
