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| Syria's truce is over as airstrikes destroy Aleppo hospital | Syria's truce is over as airstrikes destroy Aleppo hospital |
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| Syria’s eight-week truce was dead in all but name on Thursday after airstrikes destroyed an Aleppo hospital backed by Médecins Sans Frontières and the International Committee of the Red Cross, killing patients and doctors. | Syria’s eight-week truce was dead in all but name on Thursday after airstrikes destroyed an Aleppo hospital backed by Médecins Sans Frontières and the International Committee of the Red Cross, killing patients and doctors. |
| Staffan de Mistura, the UN envoy for Syria, declared the cessation of hostilities agreement brokered by the US and Russia “barely alive”. Jan Egeland, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator, warned of a “catastrophic deterioration” in Aleppo in the past 24 to 48 hours. | Staffan de Mistura, the UN envoy for Syria, declared the cessation of hostilities agreement brokered by the US and Russia “barely alive”. Jan Egeland, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator, warned of a “catastrophic deterioration” in Aleppo in the past 24 to 48 hours. |
| No date has been agreed to resume suspended peace talks in Geneva, but De Mistura urged Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin to work to restore the truce and permit urgent humanitarian deliveries. In the past 48 hours there has been an average of one Syrian civilian killed every 25 minutes, and one wounded every 13 minutes. | |
| Related: Syria’s peace talks begin to look like a cover for more war | |
| MSF said 14 patients and staff members including two doctors were killed in al-Quds hospital. One doctor was the last paediatrician in the rebel-held part of Aleppo. The opposition Higher Negotiations Committee said the attack killed at least 27 in total, including three children. | MSF said 14 patients and staff members including two doctors were killed in al-Quds hospital. One doctor was the last paediatrician in the rebel-held part of Aleppo. The opposition Higher Negotiations Committee said the attack killed at least 27 in total, including three children. |
| It fitted a pattern of systematic targeting of hospitals by the government of Bashar al-Assad, as the situation in Syria’s divided commercial capital grows more desperate. Schools, markets and a search and rescue centre have also been hit in the past week. | It fitted a pattern of systematic targeting of hospitals by the government of Bashar al-Assad, as the situation in Syria’s divided commercial capital grows more desperate. Schools, markets and a search and rescue centre have also been hit in the past week. |
| The French news agency AFP reported an anonymous Syrian official as saying the army was preparing to launch a massive offensive to retake the entire city in the coming days. | |
| Syrian rebels blamed Assad and his ally Russia for multiple breaches of the truce. Philip Hammond, the UK foreign secretary, said: “Now is the time for those with influence to apply real pressure to end this spiral of violence. Russia has set itself up as protector of the Assad regime, so it has a duty to bring its full influence to bear.” | |
| Muskilda Zancada, the group’s head of mission, said: “MSF categorically condemns this outrageous targeting of yet another medical facility in Syria. This devastating attack has destroyed a vital hospital in Aleppo, and the main referral centre for paediatric care in the area. Where is the outrage among those with the power and obligation to stop this carnage?” | Muskilda Zancada, the group’s head of mission, said: “MSF categorically condemns this outrageous targeting of yet another medical facility in Syria. This devastating attack has destroyed a vital hospital in Aleppo, and the main referral centre for paediatric care in the area. Where is the outrage among those with the power and obligation to stop this carnage?” |
| A US state department official said it appeared that the bombing was conducted solely by the Syrian regime, after Russia’s defence ministry denied that its planes were involved, saying it had carried out no airstrikes there in recent days. Both air forces have carried out almost all the aerial strikes on the opposition-controlled east of the city. | A US state department official said it appeared that the bombing was conducted solely by the Syrian regime, after Russia’s defence ministry denied that its planes were involved, saying it had carried out no airstrikes there in recent days. Both air forces have carried out almost all the aerial strikes on the opposition-controlled east of the city. |
| Further airstrikes on Thursday on the rebel-held part of the city killed 20 people and brought down at least one residential building, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The UK-based monitor said shelling by insurgents of government-held areas killed at least 14. | |
| “It’s like an apocalypse,” said Bara Abu Saleh, a councillor in a rebel-held area, speaking on Skype as explosions were heard. “Today around 25 people have been killed in different areas. Just now a rocket landed close but it didn’t explode.” | “It’s like an apocalypse,” said Bara Abu Saleh, a councillor in a rebel-held area, speaking on Skype as explosions were heard. “Today around 25 people have been killed in different areas. Just now a rocket landed close but it didn’t explode.” |
| Staff described how the first missiles struck the hospital. “That’s when the massacre happened,” said Saeed Hallaq, a nurse. “It was an awful, frightening scene. The bombing was at night and there were planes in the air so the civil defence workers couldn’t do anything. They cut the electricity and work began to bring the martyrs and the wounded out of the ground. It was difficult and took hours. Some of them, we only found the pieces.” | Staff described how the first missiles struck the hospital. “That’s when the massacre happened,” said Saeed Hallaq, a nurse. “It was an awful, frightening scene. The bombing was at night and there were planes in the air so the civil defence workers couldn’t do anything. They cut the electricity and work began to bring the martyrs and the wounded out of the ground. It was difficult and took hours. Some of them, we only found the pieces.” |
| One of the dead was Mohammad Wassim Muadh, apaediatrician. “He was the definition of humanity and kindness,” said Hallaq. “Wherever he went he left a good memory and he was also the most polite and kind person I ever met in my life.” | One of the dead was Mohammad Wassim Muadh, apaediatrician. “He was the definition of humanity and kindness,” said Hallaq. “Wherever he went he left a good memory and he was also the most polite and kind person I ever met in my life.” |
| Muadh barely had a funeral, Hallaq said, because people feared government planes would target any gathering. “Our one and only call is to keep neutral the hospitals and centres that are helping civilians.” | Muadh barely had a funeral, Hallaq said, because people feared government planes would target any gathering. “Our one and only call is to keep neutral the hospitals and centres that are helping civilians.” |
| Large-scale fighting erupted in and around Aleppo over the weekend, with more than 100 dead in the surrounding province, further weakening the truce agreed between non-jihadi rebels and government forces on 27 February. | Large-scale fighting erupted in and around Aleppo over the weekend, with more than 100 dead in the surrounding province, further weakening the truce agreed between non-jihadi rebels and government forces on 27 February. |
| Egeland told reporters in Geneva that the catastrophic deterioration in Aleppo over the last 24-48 hours had jeopardised the aid lifeline that delivers supplies to millions of Syrians. “I could not in any way express how high the stakes are for the next hours and days.” | |
| Abu Saleh described food shortages with truckers struggling to deliver 4,000 tonnes of wheat because Kurdish forces were firing on vehicles on the only road linking the city to other rebel-held areas. Civilians are growing vegetables on rooftops and in gardens but a lack of fuel makes it hard to supply them with water. | Abu Saleh described food shortages with truckers struggling to deliver 4,000 tonnes of wheat because Kurdish forces were firing on vehicles on the only road linking the city to other rebel-held areas. Civilians are growing vegetables on rooftops and in gardens but a lack of fuel makes it hard to supply them with water. |
| After a period of relative normality, many residents hid again when the bombing restarted. But various shops were still open, and some were trying to carry on with daily life. “People are determined to live their lives,” said Abu Saleh. “The people who are in Aleppo now are people who decided to stay here. We used to look at people in Gaza and wonder how they live their lives normally – but now we know.” | |
| The Syrian government considers any medical facilities in opposition-held territory as legitimate military targets, claiming they are de facto illegal. Hospitals in opposition-held areas are refusing to share GPS coordinates with Russian and Syrian authorities because of repeated attacks on medical facilities and workers. Intense diplomatic activity is expected over the coming days as pressure mounts for a ministerial meeting of the major and regional powers that make up the International Syria Support Group. | The Syrian government considers any medical facilities in opposition-held territory as legitimate military targets, claiming they are de facto illegal. Hospitals in opposition-held areas are refusing to share GPS coordinates with Russian and Syrian authorities because of repeated attacks on medical facilities and workers. Intense diplomatic activity is expected over the coming days as pressure mounts for a ministerial meeting of the major and regional powers that make up the International Syria Support Group. |
| The Syrian opposition insists Assad 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 Syrian opposition insists Assad 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. |