Amnesty Condemns Russia's Targeting of Hospitals in NW Syria

ARK News: The Assad regime, supported by Russia, is carrying out a deliberate and systematic assault on hospitals and other medical facilities in Idlib and Hama, Amnesty International said on Friday, as it shared harrowing new testimony from shattered medical workers in the region.

While the UN Security Council was meeting to discuss the situation in Syria, Amnesty urged action as it called for Russia to be pressured over the deliberate targeting of 15 hospitals in Idlib and Hama over the last three weeks.

Since April 26, Idlib and rural Hama have been subjected to the ruthless bombing campaign, which has resulted in hundreds of civilian casualties and massive destruction to vital centers.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights said it had documented at least 82 attacks on vital civilian centers, including 28 attacks on schools, 11 on places of worship, 18 on medical centers, and nine on civil defense centers.

The military campaign has caused an international outcry, especially by Great Britain, France, and Germany which called for an immediate end to the military escalation. They stressed that airstrikes targeting population centers, indiscriminate shelling and the use of barrel bombs as well as the targeting of civilian and humanitarian infrastructure, especially schools and health centers, constituted a blatant violation of the International Humanitarian Law.

The Syrian Coalition called for serious international action to stop the onslaught on Idlib. It also called for the protection of civilians and respect for the Idlib Agreement, which includes a cease-fire and a return to the political process in accordance with Security Council resolutions, most importantly of the Geneva Communique of 20121 and UN Security Council Resolution 2254.

Source: Syrian Coalition

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