Syria: hospitals in eastern Aleppo 'bombed out of use'

[rooster59]

Syria: hospitals in eastern Aleppo 'bombed out of use'

Alasdair Sandford

 

 

The state of Aleppo’s hospitals is the subject of fierce debate this weekend following claims that bombing of the rebel-held east has put most – if not all – out of action.

 

The Syrian city’s health directorate and the World Health Organisation (WHO), the latter citing aid agencies, both said on Friday that all were out of service.

 

“The destruction of infrastructure essential to life leaves the besieged, resolute people, including all children and elderly men and women, without any health facilities offering life-saving treatment… leaving them to die,” said Aleppo’s health directorate in a statement sent to Reuters by an opposition official.

 

The WHO’s representative in Syria said a UN-based group of aid agencies based over the border in Turkey “confirmed today that all hospitals in eastern Aleppo are out of service”.

 

But the UK-based monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said some were still operating, although residents were afraid to use them because of heavy shelling.

 

Medical sources, residents and rebels in eastern Aleppo say hospitals have been damaged by air strikes and helicopter barrel bombs in recent days, including direct hits on the buildings.

 

Video uploaded to the internet, said to be shot on Friday, appears to show extensive damage inside a hospital in the al-Shaar district.

 

Reports say four hospitals in eastern Aleppo have been bombed in a 48-hour period.

 

The Syrian army and its allies resumed operations on Tuesday after a pause lasting several weeks. Since then airstrikes have battered the east and a ground offensive was launched against insurgent positions on Friday.

 

The outgoing US administration condemned the bombing based on the reports.

 

“We’ve got credible claims from legitimate, well-established agencies that are reporting this,” US State Department spokesman John Kirby said on Friday.

“And they are hospitals, and they are patients – people that are trying to get well are in fact being bombed. And frankly, it doesn’t really matter whose airplane is dropping the bomb – it’s either the Syrians or the Russians or both – the fact is it’s got to stop. It needs to stop.”

 

Syrian state television said on Tuesday its air force had targeted “terrorist strongholds and supply depots” in Aleppo. Russia has said its air force is only conducting airstrikes in other parts of Aleppo. The Damascus government describes all rebels fighting it as terrorists.

 

Both sides have denied deliberately targeting hospitals and other civilian infrastructure during the war, in which Russia’s air force joined Damascus in September 2015.

 

Separately, video uploaded to a social media website purports to show children being rescued from the rubble of damaged buildings by the volunteer group known as the White Helmets.

 

It is said to have been filmed in the northern district of Yaqid al Adas, which has reportedly been heavily bombed by pro-government forces.

 

After verfying the content and contacting the uploader, Reuters’ social media team said it was confident the events portrayed are genuine.

 

 

-- © Copyright Euronews 2016-11-20

 

[Credo]

It is tragic that a ruler of a country could allow this to be done to his cities and his people.   

[craigt3365]

27 minutes ago, Credo said:

It is tragic that a ruler of a country could allow this to be done to his cities and his people.   

Agreed.  It's also tragic that some support this brutal dictator.  Nothing can justify this.  Not sure how he can live with himself, nor those who support him.

[jaidam]

Well the power vacuum that Obama and co have caused over the last 6 years of ruthlessly and cluelessly bombing the bejeezus out of the sovereign nation of Syria and its rightful leader Assad is not working to the benefit of your average Syrian. It is probably too late for Obama to put his hand up and admit to being totally wrong on all counts about his violent involvement in Syria(just like Libya and the murdered leader Gaddafi) Hopefully Trump together with Putin can unite and step up to the plate and undo the horrors the allied forces caused over there.

 I hope for a day soon when Syrian hospitals can get back to the normal business of repairing humans damaged through illness and accidents, not willful attacks on the people by elitists and globalists thousands of miles away whos primary concern is financial rewards and gas pipelines. A sickening charade all told.

[craigt3365]

3 minutes ago, jaidam said:

Well the power vacuum that Obama and co have caused over the last 6 years of ruthlessly and cluelessly bombing the bejeezus out of the sovereign nation of Syria and its rightful leader Assad is not working to the benefit of your average Syrian. It is probably too late for Obama to put his hand up and admit to being totally wrong on all counts about his violent involvement in Syria(just like Libya and the murdered leader Gaddafi) Hopefully Trump together with Putin can unite and step up to the plate and undo the horrors the allied forces caused over there.

 I hope for a day soon when Syrian hospitals can get back to the normal business of repairing humans damaged through illness and accidents, not willful attacks on the people by elitists and globalists thousands of miles away whos primary concern is financial rewards and gas pipelines. A sickening charade all told.

You do understand that Assad is bombing his own people way more than anybody else, except perhaps Russia.  And the recent bombing of a hospital was done by helicopter barrel bombs. Not something the coalition uses.  So, it is Assad bombing his own people and destroying hospitals.

 

From the article:

Quote

Medical sources, residents and rebels in eastern Aleppo say hospitals have been damaged by air strikes and helicopter barrel bombs in recent days, including direct hits on the buildings.

 

Can't blame everything bad that happens there on Obama....though may try.

[Naam]

27 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

You do understand that Assad is bombing his own people way more than anybody else, except perhaps Russia.  And the recent bombing of a hospital was done by helicopter barrel bombs. Not something the coalition uses.  So, it is Assad bombing his own people and destroying hospitals.

unfortunately this is the done thing in civil wars.

[craigt3365]

17 minutes ago, Naam said:

unfortunately this is the done thing in civil wars.

Understood.  A few at the top battling for power from their ivory towers while the average person suffers.

[i claudius]

Now if the terrorist rebels laid down their arms and stopped trying to depose the leader of their once peacfull country , things like this would not happen .

[craigt3365]

10 minutes ago, i claudius said:

Now if the terrorist rebels laid down their arms and stopped trying to depose the leader of their once peacfull country , things like this would not happen .

What started this mess was an uprising by the people against a brutal dictator.  It was hardly peaceful unless you were part of the "inner" circle.  Great father also, very peaceful.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1982_Hama_massacre

Quote

Initial diplomatic reports from Western countries stated that 1,000 were killed.^[5][6] Subsequent estimates vary, with the lower estimates claiming that at least 10,000 Syrian citizens were killed,^[1] while others put the number at 20,000 (Robert Fisk),^[2] or 40,000 (Syrian Human Rights Committee).^[3][4] About 1,000 Syrian soldiers were killed during the operation and large parts of the old city were destroyed. The attack has been described as one of "the single deadliest acts by any Arab government against its own people in the modern Middle East".^[7] According to Syrian opposition, the vast majority of the victims were civilians.^[8]

 

 

Worth reading:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/mar/14/dictator-son-assad-grip-power

[bartender100]

Why is Syria so important to Russia?

[craigt3365]

17 minutes ago, bartender100 said:

Why is Syria so important to Russia?

http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2015/09/economist-explains-22

Quote

Yet Russia's support for Mr Assad has less to do with Syria per se, than with the West. The Kremlin watched the Arab Spring in horror, seeing uprisings against authoritarian leaders as American conspiracies. While Mr Putin harbors no particular personal affection for Mr Assad, the Syrian leader has become a symbol of resisting "colour revolutions" and attempts at "regime change". Having backed Mr Assad thus far, allowing him to fall now would mean that Mr Putin is "retreating under American pressure, which is the one thing he cannot do," argues Georgy Mirsky of Moscow's Higher School of Economics. The latest gambit in Syria has also helped Mr Putin deflect attention from the unwon war in Ukraine and bring Russia back into the company of world powers—Mr Obama met Mr Putin at the UN General Assembly for the first time in two years. Mr Putin's message, both to the domestic audience and to the non-Western world, is that Russia remains indispensable to solving global problems, whether the West likes it or not.

 

And in the end, the average person pays the price...

Edited November 20, 2016 by craigt3365

[smutcakes]

2 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

Understood.  A few at the top battling for power from their ivory towers while the average person suffers.

 

What the hell are the US involved for? Syria is 1000's of miles away from them. What it has it got to do with them. Money, power and vested interests in the US.

[craigt3365]

1 minute ago, smutcakes said:

 

What the hell are the US involved for? Syria is 1000's of miles away from them. What it has it got to do with them. Money, power and vested interests in the US.

Initially to battle IS and try to keep Assad from killing his own people.  Don't see any money, power or vested interests in that.

 

You do understand it's an international coalition there?  Not just the US.

[Thrilla]

Interestingly, once again no evidence is displayed to prove the US claims.

[craigt3365]

12 minutes ago, Thrilla said:

Interestingly, once again no evidence is displayed to prove the US claims.

Ummm....this isn't the US claims.  It's a variety of agencies.  The evidence is there is you are willing to see it.  From the article:

 

Quote

After verfying the content and contacting the uploader, Reuters’ social media team said it was confident the events portrayed are genuine.

 

[Grubster]

5 hours ago, i claudius said:

Now if the terrorist rebels laid down their arms and stopped trying to depose the leader of their once peacfull country , things like this would not happen .

I guess that could be said of all civil wars couldn't it. Might not fit freedom very well though.

[elgordo38]

8 hours ago, Credo said:

It is tragic that a ruler of a country could allow this to be done to his cities and his people.   

It is also tragic that other countries follow his train of cruelty. Oh well when its all over the US will issue some more Tbills and rebuild the country. History repeating itself. 

[craigt3365]

12 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

It is also tragic that other countries follow his train of cruelty. Oh well when its all over the US will issue some more Tbills and rebuild the country. History repeating itself. 

Shouldn't that be Russia helping to rebuild?  And Iran?

[elgordo38]

2 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

Shouldn't that be Russia helping to rebuild?  And Iran?

Your quite right but their record on philanthropy or milk of human kindness really sucks. Poor Aleppo what is left to bomb and destroy? Give it a pass for God's sake. 

[derator01]

Several troll posts have been removed from view along with an appropriate reply from a member.  Apologies to that member for the hidden reply.

 

Please stick to the topic.