At least 20 killed in bombing by Assad in Aleppo

The strikes, including hundreds of artillery shells and dozens of airstrikes, hit four hospitals in east Aleppo, a rebel-held enclave of 275,000 people, and now all hospitals in the area are out of service.

The Assad regime’s bombardment of besieged rebel-held neighborhoods in Aleppo, Syria, killed at least 20 people, including children, on Saturday, the worst attacks since a ceasefire ended earlier this week.

Saturday was the fifth day of renewed assaults by Syrian warplanes on eastern Aleppo districts, after Russia announced on Tuesday its own offensive on the northern rebel-controlled Idlib province and Homs province in central Syria.

“The intentional destruction of infrastructure for survival has made the besieged population, including children, elderly and men and women, without medical facilities to treat them,” a statement by Aleppo’s Health Directorate said.

The White House demanded an immediate halt to Syrian strikes on eastern Aleppo.

Speaking in Peru, National Security Adviser Susan Rice said the US condemns the “horrific attacks” against hospitals and aid workers “in the strongest possible terms” and said there was “no excuse” for the attacks.

The White House has placed the burden on Russia to lower the violence and help humanitarian aid get to the besieged Syrians.

“Aleppo is being wiped out in front of the eyes of the world,” medical official Mohammed Abu Rajab said. “It’s not only hospitals that are out of service. All liberated areas in Aleppo are out of service.”

“Entire buildings have been completely destroyed,” Abu Rajab said.

Meanwhile, rebels reportedly shelled government-held parts of the city, killing two and wounding others.

The latest killings raise the death toll to more than 130 people killed in northern Syria since Tuesday.

The United Nations stated that it “is extremely saddened and appalled by the recent escalation in fighting” in several parts of Syria, calling on all sides to cease indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructures.

It said the UN stands ready to assist people in Aleppo “as soon as access is granted by all parties.” The UN has a detailed humanitarian plan to provide urgently needed assistance to the inhabitants of east Aleppo and conduct medical evacuations for the ill and injured.

By: World Israel News Staff
AP contributed to this report