adminThe Syrian government has launched fresh air strikes across Aleppo as part of its ongoing offensive against rebel groups in the historic city, as US Secretary of State John Kerry plans to head to Geneva in an attempt to revamp peace talks.
Government forces carried out at least six air strikes targeting the residential areas of al-Lairamon and Kafr Hamra yesterday morning, local journalist Zouhir Al Shimale said.
“Late last night, there was shelling on a big basement storing relief aid and food,” he said. “Most of it was burned.”
The US on Saturday demanded that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces halt their bombardment of Aleppo and help restore a nationwide ceasefire.
Aleppo was left out of a temporary US-Russian brokered truce that appeared to be holding in the government stronghold of Latakia as well as Damascus and the nearby rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta.
The Russian defence ministry said yesterday that the temporary “calm” around was extended for another 24 hours, as the Latakia one was set to stay in place for 48 more hours.
Terrified residents fled a new wave of air strikes on rebel-held areas of the divided city as Russia, a close ally of Damascus, said it would not pressure the Assad government to halt its air strikes.
With the peace process hanging by a thread, Kerry was to fly to Geneva yesterday for talks with UN envoy Staffan de Mistura and the Saudi and Jordanian foreign ministers.
In calls to de Mistura and the lead Syrian opposition negotiator, Kerry expressed “deep concern” about Aleppo, which has suffered some of the worst fighting in a conflict that has killed more than 270,000 people and displaced millions. “The secretary made clear that we urged Russia to take steps to stop government violations, especially its indiscriminate aerial attacks in Aleppo,” a state department spokesperson said.
A new round of UN-backed peace talks is set to start on May 10 in Geneva.
“The situation has become unbearable,” Abu Mohammed, a resident of the battered Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, told AFP as he prepared to flee with his wife and five children. “Everything is paralysed.”
Russia said that it would not ask Damascus to halt air raids on Aleppo.
“No, we’re 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,” Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said.
At least 246 civilians have died in shelling, rocket fire and air strikes in both sides of the city since April 22, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
At least 10 civilians died in rebel-controlled areas on Saturday, according to the civil defence. – AFP
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