01 May 2016
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have "strongly" condemned incessant airstrikes on Aleppo that have claimed over 250 lives in just over a week.
Riyadh urged the Syrian regime's allies "to take all measures needed to stop these attacks and all crimes carried out by (President) Bashar Assad and his supporters against the Syrian people."
Among the targeted facilities were residential areas, mosques and hospitals, including the Al-Quds Hospital.
"An attack on hospital, run by an international organization, killed dozens, including children and doctors," an official source at the Foreign Ministry said. "This terrorist act ignores the cease-fire agreement and is contrary to international laws and principles of humanity. It seeks to pre-empt international efforts to reach a political solution to the crisis and to prevent deliverance of humanitarian aid to Syrians."
Iyad Madani, OIC secretary-general, sought rapid intervention of the international community to stop the massacre of innocent civilians.
Madani said targeting hospitals is a war crime that the Syrian regime must be held accountable for and that the sides supporting the regime must be held responsible for the continuation of these violations.
Doha has requested an "emergency" meeting of Arab League envoys to discuss the attacks. Qatar's permanent envoy at the body has requested holding "a meeting to discuss the dangerous escalation in Aleppo and the Syrian regime forces' massacres against civilians" there, said an official statement.
The UAE, according to WAM, urged the UN Security Council to help end the bloodshed. It voiced its "deep concern" over the "Syrian government forces' immoral targeting of hospitals and medical services."
US Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Geneva Sunday in a show of support for the cease-fire, US officials said Saturday.
Kerry will meet with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Jordan and UN envoy Staffan de Mistura, the State Department said in a statement.
Terrified Aleppo residents fled a new wave of airstrikes on Saturday, as key regime backer Russia rejected calls to rein in its ally.
Russia said it believes the attacks are helping to combat extremist groups. "No, we are not going to put pressure on (Damascus) because one must understand that the situation in Aleppo is part of this fight against the terrorist threat," Gennady Gatilov, foreign deputy foreign minister, said.
In Aleppo, dozens of civilians left the battered Bustan Al-Qasr district Saturday. "The situation has become unbearable," Abu Mohammed said as he prepared to flee with his family. "Everything is paralyzed."
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have "strongly" condemned incessant airstrikes on Aleppo that have claimed over 250 lives in just over a week.
Riyadh urged the Syrian regime's allies "to take all measures needed to stop these attacks and all crimes carried out by (President) Bashar Assad and his supporters against the Syrian people."
Among the targeted facilities were residential areas, mosques and hospitals, including the Al-Quds Hospital.
"An attack on hospital, run by an international organization, killed dozens, including children and doctors," an official source at the Foreign Ministry said. "This terrorist act ignores the cease-fire agreement and is contrary to international laws and principles of humanity. It seeks to pre-empt international efforts to reach a political solution to the crisis and to prevent deliverance of humanitarian aid to Syrians."
Iyad Madani, OIC secretary-general, sought rapid intervention of the international community to stop the massacre of innocent civilians.
Madani said targeting hospitals is a war crime that the Syrian regime must be held accountable for and that the sides supporting the regime must be held responsible for the continuation of these violations.
Doha has requested an "emergency" meeting of Arab League envoys to discuss the attacks. Qatar's permanent envoy at the body has requested holding "a meeting to discuss the dangerous escalation in Aleppo and the Syrian regime forces' massacres against civilians" there, said an official statement.
The UAE, according to WAM, urged the UN Security Council to help end the bloodshed. It voiced its "deep concern" over the "Syrian government forces' immoral targeting of hospitals and medical services."
US Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Geneva Sunday in a show of support for the cease-fire, US officials said Saturday.
Kerry will meet with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Jordan and UN envoy Staffan de Mistura, the State Department said in a statement.
Terrified Aleppo residents fled a new wave of airstrikes on Saturday, as key regime backer Russia rejected calls to rein in its ally.
Russia said it believes the attacks are helping to combat extremist groups. "No, we are not going to put pressure on (Damascus) because one must understand that the situation in Aleppo is part of this fight against the terrorist threat," Gennady Gatilov, foreign deputy foreign minister, said.
In Aleppo, dozens of civilians left the battered Bustan Al-Qasr district Saturday. "The situation has become unbearable," Abu Mohammed said as he prepared to flee with his family. "Everything is paralyzed."
© Arab News 2016
