A flurry of airstrikes around northern Syria, particularly in the Aleppo Province, have left nearly 50 civilians killed and an unknown but significant number of others wounded, as the strikes hit multiple hospitals along with at least one school.
Among the sites hit was a school in the border town of Azaz, the site of a flurry of activity and reports of Turkish forces crossing the border. In addition to the school, an adjoining children’s hospital was also hit in the attacks. At least 14 were killed.
Meanwhile, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported one of their hospitals was deliberately targeted and destroyed in an airstrike, killing at least seven people, and leaving an unknown number of others buried within the rubble.
The hospital in Maarat Nuuman, was directly struck by four missiles in quick succession, according to MSF, which they say leaves no doubt it was an intentional attack. They were unclear who launched the strikes, but said it was either the Syrian or Russian militaries.
Maarat Nuuman is in Idlib Province, which is dominated by al-Qaeda’s Jaabat al-Nusra. The ceasefire deal scheduled for later this week specifically allows continued targeting of ISIS and Nusra forces, though obviously any attack on a hospital under any circumstances is illegal under international law.
