Syria crisis: Siege victims await aid convoys

Aid convoys are due to be sent to Syria's besieged areas, UN envoy Staffan de Mistura has said. 

He said it would be a test of whether warring parties were committed to allowing in humanitarian supplies. 

Among the areas due to receive aid is the town of Madaya, where people have been dying of starvation.

World powers last week agreed to seek a nationwide "cessation of hostilities" and to accelerate and expand aid deliveries. "It is the duty of the government of Syria to want to reach every Syrian person wherever they are and allow the UN to bring humanitarian aid," Mr de Mistura said after talks in Damascus on Tuesday.

"Tomorrow we test this." The Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad earlier approved humanitarian access to seven areas which are besieged, either by government troops or rebel groups.

The areas are those deemed by the 17-member International Syria Support Group to be most in need of relief. Almost half a million people live in besieged areas, according to the UN.

The cessation of hostilities - which does not apply to jihadist groups - is due to come into force later this week. But President Assad has cast doubts on the move, warning it would be "difficult" to implement and would not mean all parties would stop using weapons.

Government forces, backed by Russian air power, have been advancing in the north towards Syria's biggest city and commercial centre, Aleppo. They are on the brink of encircling the rebel-held east of the city.