At least 13 civilians were killed today and dozens of others wounded in Aleppo’s Kurdish Quarter, held by the Syrian government, when it was hit by scores of rockets and mortar fire from the surrounding area. At least four children were among the slain.
Initial reports from the Syrian state media put the toll at 14 killed, but this was later revised downward. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the attacks were launched by al-Qaeda’s Nusra Front.
This adds to the toll of people killed during the Syrian ceasefire within areas that are supposed to be covered by the ceasefire, though of course the Nusra Front is not a party to the ceasefire and was never expected to abide by it.
There had been speculation in the lead-up to the ceasefire that the Syrian military would capture all of Aleppo before the pause began, though ultimately that was not the case. Aleppo has been contested for years, and what was once arguably Syria’s richest, most important city has been badly damaged.