The Syrian Coalition called upon the United Nations, as the main international sponsor of the political process in Syria, to take immediate and decisive action to ensure the protection of the civilians in Aleppo. Action must be taken to stop the barbaric attack on the civilians in Aleppo by compelling the Assad regime to abide by the terms of a cessation of hostilities; allowing unfettered and immediate humanitarian access and medical aid to the city; holding into account those responsible for these crimes; and preventing the repetition of such gross violations.
In a letter sent by President of the Syrian Coalition Anas Abdah to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and President of the UN Security Council Fode Seck, the Coalition underscored the desperate humanitarian situation in Aleppo as the regime and its allies continue their relentless indiscriminate bombardment of Aleppo and its countryside.
“Every hospital in Aleppo has gone out of service leaving hundreds of people injured by the indiscriminate bombardment at the risk of losing their lives for complete lack of medical care,” the letter said.
Abdah noted that “the Assad regime and his allies are turning the liberated areas of the city of Aleppo into a real coffin given that official food stocks run out and civilians are under siege.”
“This outrageous escalation in Aleppo has killed more than 670, 40% of them are children, caused the displacement of more than 3000 families, destroyed 11 hospitals and medical centers, and known the use of the chlorine gas four times, which constitutes a further crime against humanity and a war crime in the regime’s long bloody record of barbarity.”
The letter added: “On the other hand, it runs in the face of all the international relations including UNSCR 2118 (2013) and 2235 (2015), concerned with the use of indiscriminate weapons in Syria, and UNSCR 2254 (2015) and 2268 (2016) endorsing the cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access agreement.”
The letter also stressed that “the Assad regime can only persist in this criminality as long as it enjoys the impunity it has enjoyed so far by the international inaction let alone the active support of its allies, particularly Russia.”
“As a pioneer of the human rights and the international peace and security in the world, the United Nations has the responsibility to translate words into action, to protect the civilians in Aleppo, and to make sure that the regime’s criminality against its own people no longer goes without consequences.” (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Office)
