Syrian Coalition Condemns Assad Forces Targeting of Schoolchildren

The Syrian Coalition condemns in “the strongest possible terms the Assad regime’s targeting of Ein Jalout School by aerial shelling that claimed the lives of more than 30 schoolchildren, in contravention of a truce that was reached with rebels in the city.” Assad regime repeatedly targeted schools across Syria, and regime forces bombed the same school during an arts exhibition held last year, killing 31 civilians, including nine children. Earlier, Human Rights Watch confirmed it had “documented at least 85 strike sites in neighborhoods of Aleppo city,” and that the Assad regime continues to indiscriminately strike “civilians and civilian objects in Aleppo with unguided, high-explosive barrel bombs.” The Syrian Coalition also condemns the regime’s mortar shelling of Badr Addin al-Hassani institute in Al Shaghour district of Damascus yesterday, which resulted in the death of more than 17 children and injuring dozens. In a similar vein, Ahmad Ramadan, member of the political committee, said that the failure of the international community to take urgent and deterrent measures to stop the crimes of the Assad regime emboldens Assad to commit more massacres. Abdel-Rahman Haj, adviser to interim Prime Minister, said that the Assad regime’s systematic targeting of schoolchildren “aims to destroy the future of Syria and to achieve political goals. However, these horrible massacres against childhood and education have always been met with dubious silence, as the world’s response rarely goes beyond condemnation and expressing concern.” Haj points out that “it seems that the bombing of schools is an essential part of Assad’s election campaign. Pro-Assad forces bombed Ein Jalout school in Aleppo today, killing 30 students, while yesterday they shelled Badr Addin al-Hasani Institute in Damascus, killing 25 students. It has become clear that Assad wants to destroy the future of Syria and leave Syrians without any glimpse of hope for a better future.” As for the allegations that the rebels have targeted these schools, Haj said that “this is impossible, Assad is trying, through these false accusations, to cover up his crimes. The school in Aleppo was bombed by war planes, which only regime forces have in their arsenal.” (Source: Syrian Coalition)