Damascus Water Crisis Grows As Fighting Threatens Truce

DAMASCUS, Jan 5, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Jan, 2017 ) - A major water crisis in Syria's capital worsened as regime and rebel forces clashed near its main reservoir Thursday despite a fragile truce that entered its seventh day.

The water from rebel-held Wadi Barada, which supplies four million people in Damascus, has been cut since December 22, causing major shortages.

The regime and rebels have traded accusations over responsibility.

Government forces backed by Lebanon's Hezbollah group are fighting to recapture the area northwest of Damascus even as a nationwide ceasefire has brought quiet to other parts of Syria in preparation for renewed peace talks.

The truce, brokered by regime backer Russia and rebel sponsor Turkey, was meant to pave the way for peace negotiations later this month in the Kazakh capital Astana.