Syria calls for Red Cross aid to trapped people in old Homs

The Syrian government has officially asked the International Committee of the Red Cross to send relief aid to those trapped by the "armed terrorist groups" in the Syria's central old Homs area, the country's Foreign Ministry said in a statement Thursday. The government made the request to help civilians, who have been used as human shields by the rebels in the old Homs, according to the statement, which urged the Red Cross to coordinate with the Syrian Red Crescent to evacuate the hostages through safe passages to be provided by the government for that purpose. "Syrian government is carrying on with its constitutional duty to preserve the safety of its citizens and to counter terrorism they have been subject to as well as to provide the citizens with all their needs," read the statement. Hitting hard at the United States, the government said the U.S. and its allies, "who are partners in shedding the Syrian blood", have consistently taken positions and made statements designed to provide political cover for the "armed terrorist groups," the Assad's administration term to describe the opposition fighters." The U.S and its allies step up anti-Syrian government campaigns each time our troops attend to go on with their constitutional duty in protecting the people from the Western-backed terrorism." "Those countries have unleashed efforts for the disinformation and slander of the government, their remarks are meant to incite people against the current military operations that aim to restore stability and security," the statement added.