The relentless aerial bombardment by Russian forces has rendered dysfunctional the last remaining ambulance service in western rural Aleppo, director of the service Taysir Hammoud said.
Hammoud pointed out that the center for emergency medical services came under intense airstrikes by Russian forces over the past few days. The bombing caused severe damage to the equipment of the center, especially ambulance vehicles. Hammoud added that they are working on restoring the medical services in the area, but he did not specify a date when the services will be fully restored.
Hammoud added that the ambulance service set up medical centers close to the battlefronts in rural Aleppo to provide urgent treatment to those who need it as a result of the ongoing battles. The ambulance teams lost three crewmembers who were killed trying to rescue victims of battles and airstrikes in the area.
The ambulance service center in western rural Aleppo, set up in 2014, comprises 15 medics, 9 ambulance drivers, and 4 administrative staff members. The center provided services for civilians and opposition fighters in local makeshift hospitals and helped move the wounded to border crossings with Turkey.
The only hospital in the town of Kafar Hamra in northern rural Aleppo was completely destroyed in Russian airstrikes on Thursday, killing three medics.
According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), the Russian air force targeted at least 243 vital civilian facilities, including 5 IDP camps between September 30, 2015 and March 15, 2016 when Russia announced partial withdrawal of its forces from Syria.
The targeted civilian facilities also included 51 medical centers, 57 infrastructure facilities, 52 educational facilities, 50 religious centers, 25 residential blocks, and 5 IDP camps. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Smart News)
