BEIRUT: Activists have asked people to donate to charities in a bid to help Syrian families with basic commodities this winter including rice, oil, lentils and blankets.

In a statement released Thursday, the Local Coordination Committees in Syria said people were more in need this year than ever given the continued crackdown on civilian protesters, mounting international sanctions and an increase in military defectors who were having difficulty providing for their families.

The statement added that Syrians also have to contend with rising prices of all products including basic food items. Prices are particularly high in areas of unrest, where it has become more expensive to transport goods.

Malath Aumran, an aid organizer with the Local Coordination Committee, said that activists in Syria are distributing donated food and other aid throughout the country.