Two killed in Qatar Red Crescent Syria clinic bombing

Two killed in Qatar Red Crescent Syria clinic bombing
An attack on a clinic managed by the Qatar Red Crescent Society has killed two patients, injured eight others, and left the building 50 percent damaged.
3 min read
03 October, 2016
Medical facilities in Syria have not been spared the deadly scourge of the conflict [Anadolu]

An attack on a clinic serving thousands of Syrians in Aleppo has left two patients dead and eight others injured, the Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has announced.

"Two patients killed and eight injured due to four bombs dropped from a helicopter on QRCS medical facility," the charity said in a statement.

Managed by QRCS, the health centre in al-Sakhoor area went out of service due to 50 percent damage to the building as a result of the bombing on Saturday.

A local ambulance and other medical facilities supported by international NGOs were also affected by the attack.

The charity condemned the attack and called on the international community to "intervene and put an end to such direct attacks on medical and health facilities in Syria".

Dr. Hashem Darwish, head of QRCS's health program in Turkey, described the attack as a "war crime" and a violation of international accords that recognise the importance of protecting the Red Cross and Red Crescent national societies and humanitarian aid organisations in areas of conflict.

Medical facilities and humanitarian professionals in Syria have not been spared the deadly scourge of the five-year conflict, with ongoing attacks on hospitals and aid convoys that have left hundreds dead and others injured.

Airstrikes targeting a UN-Arab Red Crescent aid convoy in the Aleppo suburb of Orum al-Kubra last month signalled the end of a US-Russian brokered ceasefire for Syria, and consequent bombardment by Syrian regime and Russian warplanes on rebel-held districts of east Aleppo has seen two hospitals rendered out of service in the last week.

On Friday Doctors Without Borders [MSF] released a statement "demanding" that the Syrian regime and its international allies stop their bombing campaigns in the city.

Two patients killed and eight injured due to four bombs dropped from a helicopter on QRCS medical facility.
- QRCS

Between 21 and 26 of September the Directorate of Health in east Aleppo reported that those hospitals still functioning in the area had received more than 822 wounded, and more than 270 dead bodies of which at least 96 were children.

Last week, MSF's international president condemned the United Nations for failing to take action over hospital bombings in Syria.

Desperately needed health facilities had been "horrifically transformed" to places of death, Dr Joanne Liu told the UN Security Council on Wednesday.

Addressing the council Liu said Resolution 2286, passed in May by members to protect civilians and medical services they need to survive, has "plainly failed to take any effect on the ground".

"This endeavor has failed due to a lack of political will - among member states fighting in coalitions, and those who enable them," she said.

"There can be no more waiting. Make your pledges operational."