In Syria’s eastern city of Deir el-Zour, supplies are running brief that distressed residents are selling their gold, valuables as well as their houses for an exit or food permit letting them escape a siege by Islamic State militants and both government troops. The extremists have blockaded government-held areas of the city for more than some of its 200,000 residents are slowly starving while, and annually troops and President supporting militias Bashar Assad use their anguish. MORE