Aleppo: UN probes ‘gas’ attack amid pressure for longer truce

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Aleppo: UN probes ‘gas’ attack amid pressure for longer truce

 

 

NEW YORK: -- The United Nations says it is talking to Russia about getting a longer halt to hostilities, to help the two million people trapped in the divided Syrian city of Aleppo.

 

There has been an escalation in violence and Moscow’s announced a daily, three-hour pause. But the UN wants a weekly 48 hour break, to get aid to those most in need.

 

It comes amid claims that suspected chlorine gas was dropped alongside barrel bombs on a neighbourhood in Aleppo on Wednesday.

 

Four people are said to have died, while many others suffered breathing difficulties.

 

“It’s really not for me to assess who did it and whether it actually took place, although there’s a lot of evidence that it actually did take place,” said Staffan de Mistura, UN Special Envoy for Syria.

 

“We have a special UN and other organisation addressing that. But if it did take place, it is a war crime.”

 

The upsurge of intense fighting around Aleppo in recent weeks has killed scores of Syrians, displaced thousands – and cut water and power.

 

Advances by warring sides, which have led to a siege of rebel-held neighbourhoods and the severing of a major route into government areas of control, have choked off supplies.

 

It has also raised fears of the encirclement of the entire civilian population.

 

 

-- © Copyright Euronews 2016-08-12

[craigt3365]

And yet some still voice support for the mass murder Assad.  Insane.

[ilostmypassword]

It's not so much about support for Assad as it is about repugnance for the alternative: Isil and fellow Sunni fanatics.

[craigt3365]

8 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said:

It's not so much about support for Assad as it is about repugnance for the alternative: Isil and fellow Sunni fanatics.

No so sure that would be worse!  It just can't get any worse.  And in other countries, ISIL is being pushed back.  The huge vacuum of power in Syria is helping IS immensely. 

[Rancid]

1 hour ago, ilostmypassword said:

It's not so much about support for Assad as it is about repugnance for the alternative: Isil and fellow Sunni fanatics.

Have to agree, Assad isn't a pinup boy for liberal democracy, however life in Syria sure was a whole lot better before than it is now, just like Iraq and Libya before they were also bombed into the stone-age in the name of democracy and freedom. What's the alternative, ISIS, Al Qaeda "moderates" that throw gays off roof tops? Just like Saddam and Gaddafi, there is no viable alternative, add to that what business is it of ours anyway?

 

As to gas, they already tried to pin that one on Assad, seems it was the "moderates" that did it, which is why the whole thing disappeared off the news so quick.

[craigt3365]

19 minutes ago, Rancid said:

Have to agree, Assad isn't a pinup boy for liberal democracy, however life in Syria sure was a whole lot better before than it is now, just like Iraq and Libya before they were also bombed into the stone-age in the name of democracy and freedom. What's the alternative, ISIS, Al Qaeda "moderates" that throw gays off roof tops? Just like Saddam and Gaddafi, there is no viable alternative, add to that what business is it of ours anyway?

 

As to gas, they already tried to pin that one on Assad, seems it was the "moderates" that did it, which is why the whole thing disappeared off the news so quick.

This was dropped from a plane, along side barrel bombs.  A standard tactic by Assad.  Crude barrel bombs that kill anybody nearby, including innocent children. 

 

Last time I checked, the rebels didn't have any aircraft.  And it's not disappeared off the news.  Just impossible to 100% verify everything because Assad won't let independent journalists in, and if they do get in, he bombs them.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Colvin