UN and US Condemn Attacks on Hospitals in Syria

The United Nations and the United States condemned on Monday, February 15, the airstrikes by the Syrian army and its allies against civilian targets in northern Syria, including several hospitals. At the same time, the UN special envoy has traveled to Damascus to negotiate with Syrian officials. John Kirby, spokesperson for the US State Department, stated in a statement received by Radio Farda that the United States condemns today's airstrikes in Aleppo and its surroundings against civilian targets, including the hospital managed by "Doctors Without Borders" and the children's and women's hospital in the city of Azaz. He noted that the continuation of these attacks "without any justification and disregarding international regulations for the protection of innocent people, is contrary to the call of the International Syria Support Group, including at the Munich meeting, which emphasizes the need to refrain from attacking civilians." The spokesperson also mentioned that these attacks raise "doubts about Russia's will or ability to stop the regime's extensive brutality against its own people." Kirby urged all parties involved to cease attacks and take immediate steps to deliver humanitarian aid that the people of Syria desperately need. The White House also strongly condemned the airstrikes on Monday. Jean-Marc Ayrault, the French Foreign Minister, described these attacks as "war crimes" and condemned them. The UN reports that at least five medical centers and two schools in Aleppo and Idlib provinces were hit in the attacks on Monday, resulting in nearly 50 deaths, including children. Doctors Without Borders reported that their hospital in Idlib was targeted, resulting in seven deaths and at least eight people missing. The attack led to the destruction of the hospital building and scattered debris around. Doctors Without Borders stated that this attack was "a deliberate act aimed at destroying the healthcare infrastructure." According to Massimiliano Rebaudengo, an official from this international organization, the destruction of the mentioned hospital will leave about 40,000 local people in this war zone without medical facilities. Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary-General, also condemned these attacks, calling them "a gross violation of international law" in a statement released by his spokesperson. According to AFP, the increase in violence in Syria and the verbal conflict between Ankara and Moscow have dashed hopes for a proposed ceasefire plan in the country this week. Staffan de Mistura, the UN special envoy for Syria, unexpectedly visited Damascus on Monday and is scheduled to hold talks on Tuesday regarding the resumption of peace talks on February 25 with officials from Bashar al-Assad's government. De Mistura had suspended these talks after three days last week but expressed hope that the parties involved in the Syrian crisis would gather again on February 25. Major powers agreed on Friday, February 23, in Munich to establish a ceasefire in Syria within a week and send humanitarian aid to besieged areas in the country. However, the Syrian army's attacks and Russian airstrikes continue unabated across the country. The Syrian Kurds' efforts to seize areas between Aleppo and the Turkish border, held by Islamist groups and other rebel factions, have complicated the situation. In response to the movements of Kurdish militants known as the "YPG," which Ankara considers terrorists, the Turkish army has shelled their positions.