MOSCOW. July 5 (Interfax) - Moscow expressed anxiety on Wednesday at the latest developments in the Syrian city of Homs and at attempts to use civilians as "human shields."
"Reports on the serious situation of several hundreds of civilians who are forced to stay along the line of clashes in Homs between Syrian government troops and groups of militants from among illegal armed units are giving rise to great anxiety in Moscow," the ministry said in a statement.
"These people, who include both Muslims and many Christians, have for a long time been blockaded in the city districts of Hamidia, Wadi al-Sayah and Diwan-Basatin. Some of them need urgent medical assistance," it said.
"It is absolutely impermissible to use civilians as human shields. We urge all the parties [to the Syrian conflict] and external players who have a clout with the opposition to take energetic steps to end the humanitarian suffering of Homs residents who have found themselves inside a blockade," the ministry said.
"Workers from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) have made a series attempts with support from the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic to negotiate humanitarian intervals and evacuate the civilians from the blockaded areas. However, each time this has been impossible to do because the militants refused," the statement said.
"The efforts of the ICRC and SARC in the name of the chief of humanitarian values - saving human lives are highly valued in Moscow. We consider it essential to energetically continue with such efforts," it said.