The Iranian-backed, Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah killed two people and abducted another one for delivering food to the besieged town of Madaya in Syria where at least 40,000 people face starvation. Orient-net, a pro-opposition Syrian media outlet, reported late Sunday that Hezbollah militants killed two people while they were trying to enter the embattled town to deliver food, as two Madaya residents were reported as dying of starvation. The third person, believed to be a woman, was abducted by the militants and taken to an unknown destination, according to the webpage. An activist told Orient-net that 70 people have died of hunger since the town was besieged by the militants seven months ago. The activist also said food prices have increased up to 40 percent in the town, and the majority of the residents were unable to purchase basic goods.

The Independent on Monday reported that 40,000 civilians are starving in the town after several graphic images of malnourished civilians were released on social media. Activists said the civilians had started eating weeds, insects and even cats. "Encircled by land mines and forces from the Lebanese militia Hezbollah, hundreds are suffering from malnutrition. With severe shortages of basic foodstuffs, many have resorted to eating wild plants, insects and even cats," the Independent said. An activist told the daily that the "Lebanese [Shiite] militia, which has been fighting on the side of Bashar Assad in the Syrian conflict, was effectively holding civilians hostage in order to gain leverage over two embattled [Shiite] towns in Syria's northern Idlib province. The towns Kafrayya and Fua are besieged by members of the Islamist umbrella group Jaish al-Fatah." "One of its members, Ahrar al-Sham, was among the groups that had been battling pro-government forces in the strategic town of Zabadani, which lies close to Madaya," the report said. "The price of food has spiraled uncontrollably, with a 1 kilogram bag of rice costing as much as $100. One photograph showed a car for sale in exchange for 10 kilograms of rice or 5 kilograms of baby formula. The vehicle was incorrectly attributed to Mr. Alloush, according to Mr. Ibrahim. ‘I wish Mr. Jamil had a car,' the activist said. ‘He could sell it rather than dying like that. The poor man used to have a bike and nothing more.' He added: ‘All those who have cars, they are offering them for sale.' The activists said that they had tried and failed to raise the plight of the entrapped inhabitants of Madaya. They have become convinced that no one cares," the daily wrote.

Around 450 fighters along with their families were evacuated under a truce deal last week, backed by Iran and Turkey from two besieged areas. "U.N. and airport sources said two planes with 330 Syrian Shiite fighters and civilians evacuated from two pro-government towns in northwestern Syria arrived at Beirut airport. Hundreds of Hezbollah supporters there set off fireworks in celebration. Another plane carrying 126 mostly Sunni Muslim rebel fighters trapped in Zabadani near the Lebanese border landed at Hatay airport in southern Turkey, the sources said," Reuters reported. In return, Hezbollah had to ease the siege but has increased the controls over food smuggling.