Opposition fighters call for international help as humanitarian catastrophe deepens in Aleppo
| AFP Photo


The opposition fighters in Syria's Aleppo have called on the international community to respond to the civilian population's cry for help as the eastern part of the city experiences the worst moments in its history with severe shortages of basic supplies in addition to constant bombardment.

Firas Pasa, commander of the Free Syrian Army-affiliated group, Aleppo brigade Liwa al-Mu'tasem Billah, said in a statement that the civilian lives in Aleppo are at stake as more than 500 people were killed and 4000 injured in recent days as a result of regime bombardments.

"Besides the civilian settlements, our schools, bakeries, and our hospitals are being destroyed by airstrikes, chlorine, and mustard gas. People are facing acute bread shortage as most of our bakeries are shut down," Pasa said.

Describing the 'catastrophic' conditions in the city, Pasa said "Aleppo's only remaining hospital is now out of service after a bombardment a few days ago. We had to move the injured civilians to already destroyed houses and basements."

"Assad regime and its allies have been committing war crimes and violating the Geneva conventions as the world watches," Syrian commander stressed.

He went on to say that the Geneva Conventions are not only reserved to the western civilizations and they are universal rights and accused the international community of rejecting these common values by turning a blind eye to the massacres in Aleppo.

Syrian regime forces have recently stepped up their attacks on opposition-held parts of eastern Aleppo in an effort to retake the city and advance on Idlib, one of the Syrian opposition's last strongholds.

The fierce bombardments have forced hospitals and other medical facilities in the war-battered city to cease operations.

Syria has been locked in a devastating civil war since early 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests-which erupted as part of the Arab Spring uprisings - with unexpected ferocity.

Since then, hundreds of thousands of people are believed to have been killed and millions more displaced by the conflict.