Laws of war systematically disregarded in Syria

It is unclear which side fired the shells, as both sides have forces in the area, and are trying to get the upper-hand in the fighting. The government blamed rebels for the attack.

The conflict has played out tragically in the divided city of Aleppo, where tens of thousands, mostly women and children, have been displaced from their homes in rebel-held areas since Saturday.

On Tuesday, an air strike killed at least 10 civilians in the Bab al-Nairab district of eastern Aleppo, according to the opposition monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

Hundreds of civilians fleeing war-torn Aleppo are being detained and questioned by the Syrian government, say observers.

Krzysiek said they are providing “the very basic emergency response, blankets, mattresses and canned food”.

After one mortar attack, the motionless body of a girl was left crumpled in the street, her arm severed and her head pierced by a sliver of shrapnel. The Observatory added that Iraqi militia fighters were playing a central role in the government’s advance from the south.

A general view shows a damaged road after Syrian government soldiers took control of Al-Sakhour neighborhood in Aleppo.

Syria’s opposition National Coalition said it was working with France on a draft United Nations resolution seeking an immediate cease fire in Aleppo, though Russian Federation, a staunch ally of Damascus, was likely to veto such a proposal. He called the situation in Aleppo “deeply alarming and chilling”.

The situation in areas of Aleppo which have been seized back by Assad forces is dire, the Russian Defense ministry said.

In reference to eastern Aleppo, Lavrov said his country will continue its support to the Syrian government until “Aleppo is cleared of terrorists”.

“Those parties that can’t or won’t live up to their basic obligations should know that they will one day be held accountable for their actions”, he said. They include more than 100,000 children, the United Nations says. “They ask for a plate or some sheets”, Alhamdo said.

A government offensive to retake all of Aleppo has pounded the city in recent days, with shelling of an opposition-controlled area reported to have killed at least 26 civilians. “They called it a death trip”. The London-based human rights group warned of the potential for revenge attacks, arbitrary detention and torture against people formerly living under opposition control.

The Kremlin did not confirm Russian media reports that Moscow had communicated with the incoming Trump administration on Syria.

O’Brien said some 25,000 people, a lot of them women and children, have been displaced from their homes since Saturday and that it is likely thousands more will flee in the coming days as Syrian forces step up their attack. The violence in Aleppo has sparked widespread outrage at the regime, but also at its steadfast supporter Moscow.On Thursday, Russia proposed setting up four humanitarian corridors into east Aleppo to bring in aid and evacuate severely wounded people. A brief breach by the rebels lasted almost two weeks amid fighting around the area.