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| Airstrike on Aleppo hospital kills at least 27 people – monitor | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Airstrikes have hit an MSF-supported hospital in a rebel-held area of Aleppo, killing 27 people, including the last paediatrician in the Syrian city, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has said. | |
| Médecins Sans Frontières said at least 14 patients and staff, including three children, were among the dead. The Civil Defence rescue service put the total death toll at 30. | |
| We condemn the destruction of the Al Quds hospital in #Aleppo, depriving people of essential healthcare. Hospitals are #notatarget, #Syria | We condemn the destruction of the Al Quds hospital in #Aleppo, depriving people of essential healthcare. Hospitals are #notatarget, #Syria |
| Separately, the Syrian state news agency, Sana, said rebel shelling had killed at least four civilians in government-held areas of the city. | |
| Aleppo is Syria’s largest city and pre-war commercial centre. It has been bitterly contested since 2012. Rebel groups control the eastern part but have been boxed in by government forces and are now linked to the surrounding area by a single narrow corridor to the north-west. | Aleppo is Syria’s largest city and pre-war commercial centre. It has been bitterly contested since 2012. Rebel groups control the eastern part but have been boxed in by government forces and are now linked to the surrounding area by a single narrow corridor to the north-west. |
| The observatory said in the past six days 84 civilians in Aleppo had been killed in government airstrikes and 49 civilians were killed in rebel shelling of government-held areas. | The observatory said in the past six days 84 civilians in Aleppo had been killed in government airstrikes and 49 civilians were killed in rebel shelling of government-held areas. |
| The attacks on both sides came as a two-month ceasefire agreed in February with US and Russian support was on Wednesday described by the UN as “barely alive”. | The attacks on both sides came as a two-month ceasefire agreed in February with US and Russian support was on Wednesday described by the UN as “barely alive”. |
| Staffan de Mistura, the UN envoy, urged the leaders of the US and Russia to revitalise the damaged peace process as he briefed the security council on the collapse of the latest talks in Geneva. He said he saw some hope that the gulf between the Syrian government and the opposition was narrowing. | Staffan de Mistura, the UN envoy, urged the leaders of the US and Russia to revitalise the damaged peace process as he briefed the security council on the collapse of the latest talks in Geneva. He said he saw some hope that the gulf between the Syrian government and the opposition was narrowing. |
| He said: “Hence my appeal for a US-Russian urgent initiative at the highest level, because the legacy of both President Obama and President Putin is linked to the success of what has been a unique initiative which started very well. It needs to end very well. | He said: “Hence my appeal for a US-Russian urgent initiative at the highest level, because the legacy of both President Obama and President Putin is linked to the success of what has been a unique initiative which started very well. It needs to end very well. |
| “There is no reason that both of them which have been putting so much political capital in that success story and have a common interest in not seeing Syria end up in another cycle of war should not be able to revitalise what they have created and which is still alive but barely.” | “There is no reason that both of them which have been putting so much political capital in that success story and have a common interest in not seeing Syria end up in another cycle of war should not be able to revitalise what they have created and which is still alive but barely.” |
| Amid concern about the humanitarian situation in Syria and future of the fragile truce, British, French, German and Dutch MPs on Thursday urged their governments to carry out airdrops of food and medicine to relieve starving civilians trapped in areas that are besieged by Syrian government forces. | Amid concern about the humanitarian situation in Syria and future of the fragile truce, British, French, German and Dutch MPs on Thursday urged their governments to carry out airdrops of food and medicine to relieve starving civilians trapped in areas that are besieged by Syrian government forces. |
| In a letter to the Guardian, the MPs and MEPs from across the European political spectrum write: “Our countries, the UK, France, Netherlands and Germany, are all flying in Syrian air space as part of the anti-Isis effort. | In a letter to the Guardian, the MPs and MEPs from across the European political spectrum write: “Our countries, the UK, France, Netherlands and Germany, are all flying in Syrian air space as part of the anti-Isis effort. |
| “If the UN lacks the ability to deliver aid, we have the capacity and presence to act. And high-altitude airdrops would keep our brave pilots safe. Airdropping aid is only ever a last resort, but there are dependable partners on the ground in these besieged areas ready to coordinate the distribution of aid.” | “If the UN lacks the ability to deliver aid, we have the capacity and presence to act. And high-altitude airdrops would keep our brave pilots safe. Airdropping aid is only ever a last resort, but there are dependable partners on the ground in these besieged areas ready to coordinate the distribution of aid.” |
| Humanitarian aid deliveries were supposed to improve after a deal on cessation of hostilities agreed with US and Russian support in late February, but there has been only modest progress. Most areas have yet to see a single aid truck. | Humanitarian aid deliveries were supposed to improve after a deal on cessation of hostilities agreed with US and Russian support in late February, but there has been only modest progress. Most areas have yet to see a single aid truck. |
| The UN says land deliveries are preferable to airdrops, but acknowledges that it needs Syrian government permission to operate. Rebel forces have also blocked aid, but on a far smaller scale. | The UN says land deliveries are preferable to airdrops, but acknowledges that it needs Syrian government permission to operate. Rebel forces have also blocked aid, but on a far smaller scale. |
| Airdrops are difficult, expensive and potentially dangerous for aircrew and people on the ground and, without adequate organisation, order and cooperation on the ground, food aid can fall into the wrong hands. | Airdrops are difficult, expensive and potentially dangerous for aircrew and people on the ground and, without adequate organisation, order and cooperation on the ground, food aid can fall into the wrong hands. |
| Russia announced on Wednesday that the Geneva proximity talks would resume on 10 May, though UN sources said no date had been set, amid growing uncertainty as to whether they would be reconvened at all. De Mistura presided over a two-week round of talks interrupted by a walkout by the Syrian rebels just days after it began. | Russia announced on Wednesday that the Geneva proximity talks would resume on 10 May, though UN sources said no date had been set, amid growing uncertainty as to whether they would be reconvened at all. De Mistura presided over a two-week round of talks interrupted by a walkout by the Syrian rebels just days after it began. |
| De Mistura still aims to convene a ministerial meeting of major and regional powers under the International Syria Support Group, before the next round is held. Riyad Hijab, head of the Syrian opposition high negotiations committee, also called for a meeting of the Friends of the Syrian People group – which has called for Bashar al-Assad to go and crucially excludes Russia and Iran, the Syrian president’s close allies. | De Mistura still aims to convene a ministerial meeting of major and regional powers under the International Syria Support Group, before the next round is held. Riyad Hijab, head of the Syrian opposition high negotiations committee, also called for a meeting of the Friends of the Syrian People group – which has called for Bashar al-Assad to go and crucially excludes Russia and Iran, the Syrian president’s close allies. |
| The Geneva talks are deadlocked over the key question of Assad’s future. The opposition insists he must step down, while the government in Damascus says his role is not up for negotiation. The war, now in its sixth year, is estimated to have killed 400,000 people and has made millions homeless. | The Geneva talks are deadlocked over the key question of Assad’s future. The opposition insists he must step down, while the government in Damascus says his role is not up for negotiation. The war, now in its sixth year, is estimated to have killed 400,000 people and has made millions homeless. |