Leishmaniasis, or “Aleppo boil”, has rapidly spread among those serving in the regime army and other militias on the outskirts of Palmyra city, eastern countryside of Homs province.
The spread of the skin disease has caused a major disruption among commanders, as transferring such large numbers of patients to the military hospital could lead to a weakening of regime positions on Palmyra's front.
As a response, Assad loyalists have launched an appeal to the Syrian regime to provide treatment in the field instead of referring soldiers to hospitals.
Loyalists also launched appeals to cover the huge deficit of various medical treatments on the front, an indication of the number and severity of injuries and diseases affecting fighters.
Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania, which is spread by the bite of certain types of sandflies. The disease can present itself in the form of skin ulcers, as well as fever, a drop in red blood cells, and an enlarged spleen and liver.
This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
