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| Aleppo mourns Syrian paediatrician killed in hospital airstrike | Aleppo mourns Syrian paediatrician killed in hospital airstrike |
| (4 months later) | |
| Syrian doctor Mohammad Wassim Maaz saved the lives of countless children in war-torn Aleppo before he was killed by an airstrike on a hospital. | Syrian doctor Mohammad Wassim Maaz saved the lives of countless children in war-torn Aleppo before he was killed by an airstrike on a hospital. |
| “Dr Maaz was considered the best paediatrician and was one of the last ones left in this hell,” one of his colleagues told AFP. | “Dr Maaz was considered the best paediatrician and was one of the last ones left in this hell,” one of his colleagues told AFP. |
| Late on Wednesday night, an airstrike on the al-Quds hospital in the Sukari neighbourhood killed him and a dentist, three nurses and 22 civilians. | Late on Wednesday night, an airstrike on the al-Quds hospital in the Sukari neighbourhood killed him and a dentist, three nurses and 22 civilians. |
| Maaz was originally from Aleppo and had been preparing to cross the border into Turkey to visit his family. “Like so many others, Dr Maaz was killed for saving lives,” said Dr Hatem, a colleague who preferred not to give his full name. | Maaz was originally from Aleppo and had been preparing to cross the border into Turkey to visit his family. “Like so many others, Dr Maaz was killed for saving lives,” said Dr Hatem, a colleague who preferred not to give his full name. |
| Hatem manages the children’s hospital in Aleppo, where Maaz worked during the day before tending to emergency cases in al-Quds hospital overnight. “Dr Maaz and I used to spend six hours a day together. He was friendly, kind and he used to joke a lot with the whole staff. He was the loveliest doctor in our hospital,” Hatem wrote in a letter published by The Syria Campaign advocacy group. “Dr Maaz stayed in Aleppo, the most dangerous city in the world, because of his devotion to his patients.” | Hatem manages the children’s hospital in Aleppo, where Maaz worked during the day before tending to emergency cases in al-Quds hospital overnight. “Dr Maaz and I used to spend six hours a day together. He was friendly, kind and he used to joke a lot with the whole staff. He was the loveliest doctor in our hospital,” Hatem wrote in a letter published by The Syria Campaign advocacy group. “Dr Maaz stayed in Aleppo, the most dangerous city in the world, because of his devotion to his patients.” |
| More than 270,000 people have been killed in Syria’s conflict, which has seen hospitals destroyed and medical staff killed across the country. The attack on al-Quds has been widely condemned, including on Friday by the UN children’s agency and the World Health Organisation. WHO head, Margaret Chan, and Unicef executive director, Anthony Lake, commended Syrian health workers for their extraordinary efforts, saying they “deserve more than our admiration. They deserve greater protection.” Attacks on hospitals “deprive families and communities of essential health care when they need it most,” they said. | More than 270,000 people have been killed in Syria’s conflict, which has seen hospitals destroyed and medical staff killed across the country. The attack on al-Quds has been widely condemned, including on Friday by the UN children’s agency and the World Health Organisation. WHO head, Margaret Chan, and Unicef executive director, Anthony Lake, commended Syrian health workers for their extraordinary efforts, saying they “deserve more than our admiration. They deserve greater protection.” Attacks on hospitals “deprive families and communities of essential health care when they need it most,” they said. |
| Al-Quds hospital was supported by both Médecins Sans Frontières and the International Committee of the Red Cross. MSF spokeswoman Mirella Hodeib said Maaz was a “very dedicated paediatrician and chose to risk his life to help the people of Aleppo”. She said: “His death is a terrible loss.” | Al-Quds hospital was supported by both Médecins Sans Frontières and the International Committee of the Red Cross. MSF spokeswoman Mirella Hodeib said Maaz was a “very dedicated paediatrician and chose to risk his life to help the people of Aleppo”. She said: “His death is a terrible loss.” |
| MSF said it had been donating medical supplies since 2012 to the 34-bed al-Quds hospital, where eight doctors and 28 nurses worked full time. “Out of the eight doctors, there are now only six left,” Miskilda Zancada, the head of MSF’s Syria mission, told AFP from Kilis in Turkey. She said 95% of the doctors in opposition-held parts of the city have left or been killed, leaving between 70 to 80 doctors to treat 250,000 people. “The people who are left in Aleppo are the most vulnerable,” Zancada said. | MSF said it had been donating medical supplies since 2012 to the 34-bed al-Quds hospital, where eight doctors and 28 nurses worked full time. “Out of the eight doctors, there are now only six left,” Miskilda Zancada, the head of MSF’s Syria mission, told AFP from Kilis in Turkey. She said 95% of the doctors in opposition-held parts of the city have left or been killed, leaving between 70 to 80 doctors to treat 250,000 people. “The people who are left in Aleppo are the most vulnerable,” Zancada said. |
| A group of seven doctors still practising inside Aleppo city issued a joint letter on Friday commemorating their fallen colleagues and calling for an end to violence. “We will always remember Dr Maaz as the kindest and bravest of souls, whose devotion to treating the youngest victims of this war was unparallelled,” they wrote. | A group of seven doctors still practising inside Aleppo city issued a joint letter on Friday commemorating their fallen colleagues and calling for an end to violence. “We will always remember Dr Maaz as the kindest and bravest of souls, whose devotion to treating the youngest victims of this war was unparallelled,” they wrote. |
| The doctors also paid tribute to the dentist killed in the strike on Al-Quds. “Another dear friend, Dr Mohammed Ahmad, one of the ten dentists remaining in eastern Aleppo, was also killed in the airstrikes,” they said. | The doctors also paid tribute to the dentist killed in the strike on Al-Quds. “Another dear friend, Dr Mohammed Ahmad, one of the ten dentists remaining in eastern Aleppo, was also killed in the airstrikes,” they said. |
| At least 730 Syrian doctors have been killed in the country over the past five years, according to the letter. “Our hospitals are at breaking point. If this isn’t a sign that the cessation of hostilities has failed then we do not know what is. Soon there will no medical professionals at all left in Aleppo – where will civilians turn to for care and attention?” | At least 730 Syrian doctors have been killed in the country over the past five years, according to the letter. “Our hospitals are at breaking point. If this isn’t a sign that the cessation of hostilities has failed then we do not know what is. Soon there will no medical professionals at all left in Aleppo – where will civilians turn to for care and attention?” |
| The fighting in Aleppo, particularly on its northern edges, threatens to cut off the only remaining route out of the eastern rebel-held districts. The doctors’ letter warned that the violence has already disrupted their access to desperately needed medical supplies for their patients. “Over the last week, our worst fears were driven home in the most horrific circumstances. The city is bleeding,” the letter said. | The fighting in Aleppo, particularly on its northern edges, threatens to cut off the only remaining route out of the eastern rebel-held districts. The doctors’ letter warned that the violence has already disrupted their access to desperately needed medical supplies for their patients. “Over the last week, our worst fears were driven home in the most horrific circumstances. The city is bleeding,” the letter said. |
| More than 200 civilians have been killed over the past week in a fresh eruption of violence. | More than 200 civilians have been killed over the past week in a fresh eruption of violence. |