Orient Net, 5 March 2018 — An aid convoy began to cross into Syria’s eastern Ghouta on Monday, bringing the first relief to the besieged enclave since one of the deadliest regime assaults of the seven-year war began two weeks ago, but stripped of vital medical supplies.

A senior UN official accompanying the convoy said he was“not happy” to hear loud shelling near the crossing point into eastern Ghouta despite an agreement that the aid would be delivered under peaceful conditions.

“We need to be assured that we will be able to deliver the humanitarian assistance under good conditions,” Ali al-Za’tari told Reuters at the crossing point.

A World Health Organization (WHO) official said the Assad regime had removed most medical material from UN vehicles, preventing surgical kits, insulin, dialysis equipment and other supplies from reaching the enclave of 400,000 people.

Za’tari said the convoy had been scaled back from providing food for 70,000 people to providing for 27,500. The United Nations says the regime has agreed to let it bring the rest of the food for the full 70,000 in a second convoy in three days.