A/HRC/24/46 178. Areas of Dayr az Zawr city under armed group control had their supplies of food, potable water, electricity and fuel cut. The use of untreated water from the river resulted in health problems in the civilian population. 179. Government forces and Hizbullah imposed sieges, violating their obligations under international humanitarian law. (b) Attacks on food security 180. In the agricultural areas of northern Hamah governorate, the burning of harvests around Kafr Zita, Kafr Nabudah, Halfaya, Qalat Al-Madiq, Al-Howija and Tremseh were recorded in late May 2013. 181. In Homs governorate, harvests were burned in Al-Houlah, Al-Talif, Teir Maalah and Job Al-Jarrah in June. 182. Wheat and barley harvests were set alight around Taftanaz, Idlib, in late May. The blaze followed the shelling from artillery positions located in Fou’a villages. 183. Between April and June, government forces fired shells and mortars into fields in Anadan, Hreitan and Mare’a, burning crops. 184. In Hamah and Homs governorates, farmers trying to extinguish fires were shot at by soldiers at nearby checkpoints. 185. During ground attacks in Ramadan (Damascus) on 9 June, and in Al-Qaraytayn (Homs) on 24 June, security forces killed and burned cattle and other livestock. In a ground attack on Halfaya (Hamah) on 16 May, government forces burned crops and looted farm equipment. 186. That the attacks on the crops took placed immediately prior to the harvesting period suggests that they were carried out with the deliberate aim of limiting the availability of food. 2. Anti-government armed groups Sieges 187. Since July 2012, armed groups in northern Aleppo have surrounded Nubl and Zahra, blocking food, fuel and medical supplies to its residents and government forces inside. The siege is enforced by multiple groups, including Liwa Al-Tawheed, Liwa Ahrar Sourya, Liwa Al-Fatih and Jabhat Al-Nusra. The Government has periodically brought supplies by helicopter. 188. Since April, armed groups – including Liwa Al-Tawheed, Jabhat Al-Nusra and Ghoraba Al-Sham – have besieged the predominantly Kurdish town of Afrin. Armed groups believed that supplies of food and other necessities were flowing to Nubl through YPG checkpoints. Clashes broke out as armed groups sought to seize these checkpoints. Shortly thereafter, supplies of food and electricity were cut to Afrin. With no clean water entering the town, there has been a rise in infectious diseases. 189. In April, armed groups imposed a siege on the Aleppo central prison following the movement of soldiers and National Defence Force fighters into the prison. Armed groups blocked supplies of food and medicine. In late July, the siege was temporarily lifted after 80 political prisoners were released. 190. In laying siege, anti-government armed groups in Aleppo violated their obligations under international law. 22