Last night I caught a glimpse – just a snippet, I was on my way to do something and I happened to see it – of the BBC news and their special report into the plight of thousands of people trapped under siege in Southern Damascus. Here’s the link to the programme on iplayer, if you can see it where you are.

The bit I saw was of a young lad, I’ll estimate he was about 10 or 11, who had been sent out to queue for bread. The BBC correspondent was interviewing him and as she did, his face crumpled a...