Tactics hurt ordinary Syrians the most, expert says

Watching a combine harvester grind through his golden wheat, Yahya Mahmoud, a Syrian farmer, is relieved the yield looks good this year, even as a tanking economy leaves millions hungry across the war-torn country.

Before the war erupted in 2011, Syria could produce enough wheat to feed its entire population but harvests then plunged to record lows, boosting reliance on imports.

What's worse, under the fresh sanctions imposed by the United States in mid-June, the space was further curtailed for any other countries and entities trying to engage and cooperate with Syria.