New bread distribution system makes it almost impossible for people to get bread and results in long queues after imposing curfew in Damascus

All shops, public and private institutions completely have shut in Damascus governorate during the curfew imposed by regime government yesterday at 6 p.m.

The night-time bakeries stopped making bread as the curfew imposed. New working hours have been fixed and the bread will be distributed under the supervision of local voluntary committees, dividing Damascus into sectors to facilitate and organize the work.

According to Syrian Observatory sources, local committees in Damascus distributed one bread pack to each citizen at a price of 50 Syrian pounds, starting today and lasting until the end of quarantine period.

Furthermore, SOHR activists say that hundreds of people have thronged in front of the neighborhoods’ committees responsible for distributing bread. People are risking their lives to get a bread pack and ignoring the quarantine measures.  Overcrowded gatherings were seen where people stampeded in a scene more overcrowded than bakeries’ queues, posing a serious danger to people’s health in light of the spread of Coronavirus pandemic.

A curfew was imposed yesterday in regime-controlled areas and security forces and police deployed everywhere. The government team approved the decision as part of the measures taken to fight Coronavirus. Curfew will be from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. from today until further notice.

According to Observatory sources, the regime’s army forces, security services and pharmacists those holding union cards as members of the medical staff, will be all exempt from the curfew.

Regime’s Ministry of Interior of the called on citizens to strictly abide by the curfew’s resolution in order to avoid being held accountable.