UN Envoy: Attack on Aleppo Hospital ‘Deliberate’

Attack Killed 27 Civilians, US Blames Syria

UN envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura has issued a statement today, accusing last night’s attack on a Doctors Without Borders (MSF) hospital in Aleppo, a strike which killed 27 civilians, of being deliberate. He declined to blame anyone in particular for the attack, however.

Accusations were flying around after the attack, however, with rebels blaming either the Syrian government or Russia. Both nations, however, denied being behind the attack. US officials blamed Syria, but demanded Russia do something about it.

The White House declared the attack on the MSF hospital “abhorrent” and “immoral,” while Secretary of State John Kerry insisted Russia is obliged to do everything in its power to ensure that the Syrian government stops attacking medical facilities.

Official US outrage, however, is likely tempered at least a bit by their own attack on an MSF hospital in Afghanistan back in October, which killed even more civilians, and which the Pentagon declined to court-martial anyone over.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.