Fresh Wave Of Airstrikes In Idlib, Syria, Kills Civilians and Damages Hospital
On March 13, Attacks in the Idlib City region, Syria killed at least 14 civilians. On March 9 at 7:50 pm, a hospital in Saraqeb, Idlib was directly hit by an airstrike resulting in significant damage to the eastern wing. The hospital provides an average of 5,800 outpatient consultations, 500 inpatient admissions and 225 child births per month. The hospital was evacuated before the strike and no casualties were reported. A blood bank and the Saraqeb Ambulance System (supported by UOSSM) were also hit by an airstrike causing structural damage .
UOSSM denounces attacks on medical facilities, ambulances, schools and all civilian infrastructure in Idlib. These attacks constitute a direct violation of International Law and the resolutions set out by the UN Security Council on Syria. The attacks are occurring in the demilitarized zone which is densely populated with civilians and many IDPs (internally displaced person).
UOSSM demands all actors in the conflict respect international law and value the lives of the families, women and children in the region. “Some hospitals are shutting down and evacuating patients in anticipation of being bombed. The suspension of medical treatment is catastrophic to patients dependent on them. How will mothers give birth or children receive critical care? 334 schools have been shut down due to the airstrikes leaving more than 80,000 students without schooling.
These violations against Security Council Resolutions are unacceptable. In Syria, hundreds of medical facilities have been bombed killing countless aid workers. If the attacks continue in Idlib, we will see a humanitarian catastrophe unlike anything we have seen in the past 8 years, and it will become the world’s problem.“ Said Dr. Hussam Al Fakir, Chairman of UOSSM
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About UOSSM : UOSSM (Union des Organisations de Secours et Soins Médicaux) provides free medical aid to the people of Syria regardless of nationality, ethnicity, gender, religion or political affiliation. UOSSM international, founded by Syrian Doctors around the world, started in 2012 and operates 12 major hospitals and supports 120 clinics inside Syria. UOSSM has performed over 1,000,000 medical treatments inside Syria since inception. www.uossm.org
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