Syria's war: 'Civilians killed' in Aleppo fighting

Suspected pro-government attacks and rebel shelling claim over 20 lives on first anniversary of Russian air campaign.




At least 23 civilians have been killed in a single day in tit-for-tat attacks by government forces, Russia and anti-government fighters in Syria's Aleppo, according to a monitoring group.

Air strikes by unidentified jets killed at least 12 civilians on Friday in the opposition-held districts on the northern edge of eastern Aleppo, said the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

The bombardment, believed to have been carried out by Syrian government jets and those of allied Russia, has worsened the already dire humanitarian situation in eastern Aleppo.


The SOHR said local hospitals cannot cope with the increasing numbers of injured amid a shortage in medical equipment and supplies.

Eleven other civilians were killed in shelling attacks by fighters against government-controlled areas in Aleppo on Friday, said the SOHR, which relies on a network of activists inside Syria.

In Geneva, the UN Human Rights Council denounced the ongoing attacks on civilians in eastern Aleppo, in a resolution that was opposed by Russia.

The resolution text "strongly condemns the military offensive on eastern Aleppo being conducted by forces loyal to the Syrian authorities, and calls on them to halt immediately the indiscriminate bombing of the civilian population".

The decision that was drafted by Western and Arab countries was adopted with 26 "yes" votes.

Plight of the wounded

For its part, the World Health Organisation repeated its urgent demand on the rival sides to allow the evacuation of sick and wounded people from eastern Aleppo.

More than 840 people have been injured in this besieged part of the divided city over the past week, nearly a third of them children, according to the UN aid agency.

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