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ALEPPO IS A city on the brink of destruction.
The besieged Syrian city, which in the beginning had avoided being sucked into the civil war that has overtaken the country, has now become the site of the biggest humanitarian disaster in the over five years of fighting.
The eastern half of the city – home to about 250,000 residents – has been subjected to a near ceaseless bombing campaign in recent weeks by the combined forces of the Syrian government and Russian airforces following the collapse of a tenuous ceasefire.
Hospitals have been levelled, UN aid convoys attacked and hundreds of civilians killed in the last three weeks alone.
As more talks for a ceasefire get underway, and the city teeters on the brink of being totally annihilated, we take a look at what’s going on.
What’s happening in Aleppo?
The city of Aleppo is the capital city of the northern Aleppo province. It is the ‘second city’ of Syria (after Damascus), and its old city district (which has been mostly destroyed in the war) is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Before the civil war started, it was called the commercial capital of Syria.
The city and surrounding towns had long-been a stronghold for more moderate Syrian rebels supported by Turkey, as well as Kurdish militia groups and some more extreme armed groups.
Militants from the Islamic State group used to control several neighbourhoods in Aleppo, but they were forced out by other rebels in early 2014.
The city is close to Turkey, which is sympathetic to the rebels. This has enabled rebels to receive much-needed supplies from across the Turkish border. This, as well as its status as the second capital of Syria, make it a key position to hold.
It has been under siege by the Syrian army with the support of Russia for over two months now. Supplies and food are dangerously low.
Following the collapse of a tenuous ceasefire in September, Syrian government forces with support from Russia announced an offensive to capture the whole city.
What has ensued is some of the worst violence in the five years of conflict which has killed over 300,000 people (the majority of them civilians) and uprooted millions.
The assault has levelled apartment blocks and put hospitals out of service, creating a humanitarian catastrophe.
More than 370 people, including nearly 70 children, have been killed in regime and Russian bombardment of east Aleppo since the assault began, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Dozens of civilians, including children, have also died in rebel bombardment of regime-controlled western districts, according to the monitor, which compiles its information from sources on the ground.
Hospitals in eastern Aleppo have been all but destroyed and by many accounts there are only about 30 doctors still working in the area, which is too volatile for outside medical help to be sent in.
The charity Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) said the situation has become unbearable in the city.
“The situation is unbearable,” said Carlos Francisco, MSF’s head of mission in Syria.
The few remaining doctors with capability to save lives are also confronting death. Only a few days ago, the manager of one of the health centres we support and his whole family, including kids, were killed by a barrel bomb.
The city has become a flashpoint for the entire war, its total destruction has been likened to Berlin after World War Two.
Russia and the Syrian government have been accused by other countries of committing war crimes in its bombardment. Accusations which president Vladimir Putin has flatly rejected.
The campaign has further damaged the relations between Russia and the US, which have become increasingly strained over recent years.
So what happens now?
Assad has said recently that capturing Aleppo would provide the Syrian army with a ”springboard” from which to liberate other areas of the country.
“You have to keep cleaning this area and to push the terrorists to Turkey to go back to where they came from, or to kill them,” Assad said in an interview with a Russian media outlet, Komsomolskaya Pravda, released on Thursday.
There’s no other option.
As is plain to see, rebels are not going down without a fight – but under the dual bombardment of Russia and government forces it’s looking more likely that the Syrian army will win out.
Talks were held yesterday in Switzerland between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry around coming to a ceasefire arrangement.
UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura will attend, along with the chief diplomats from Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar – all backers of Syrian opposition forces.
Then in London, Kerry will likely meet up with his counterparts from Britain, France and Germany.
Lavrov has said he hopes discussions in Switzerland could help “launch a serious dialogue” based on the now-defunct US-Russian pact.
For now it’s the only sign of any chance of a negotiation being reached by the multi-faceted warring sides.
With reporting from AFP and AP
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“Moderate Syrian rebels” Lol, it’s that kind of stuff which led us here in the first place
How can any self respecting media outlet publish this rubbish? If Aleppo is all but destroyed can you answer me as to how the hell 1.5 million people still live there, with 90% of them living under SAA protection. Also anyone who even remotely followed this war from the beginning will know that Aleppo was one of the last places affected by violence as the people of the city did not support the uprising. Violence only came to the city when Islamists from rural Idlib attacked the city so for the article to say it was a stronghold of the Islamists/rebels shows what utter bull this article is.
Honest question, do the Journal employ actual journalists when it comes to stories from outside Ireland or do you publish any rubbish you’re given?
There is a very simple way for the violence in Aleppo to stop, the Islamists/ Al Qaeda can surrender the section of the city they are holding hostage and stop the further pointless bloodshed. But there isn’t a hope of this, they have even stopped civilians from leaving through the humanitarian corridors as if they left their propaganda tool would be gone and they could no longer hide amongst them. As the Americans say “we down negotiate with terrorists” yet they expect the Syrian government to let Al Qaeda control part of their largest city, hypocrites as usual!
This is the kind of bullshittery by the western media that will enable the US/UK et al to force a no fly zone, thus leading to a massive ground war, which WILL end up with Russians and Americans shooting each other (by accident, on purpose?).. Basically the makings of World War III
Saudi Arabia and Qatar backers of Syrian rebels. Is that a new name for Isis. The Americans knew they were financing and backing Isis and done nothing. It’s shameful situation. The rebels control half of Aleppo and Isis flags are flying, clearly see it in footage.
@LITTLEONE: Speaking of the ISIS flag, recently the basket cases that run Sweden, legalised the ISIS flag..
Spitting on the graves of the victims of Islamic terror.
East #Aleppo on total lockdown; US backed ISIS/Al Nusra mercenaries have mined & barricaded all 7 civilians crossings. This is the biggest hostage crisis in the world. Short video:
https://www.facebook.com/683442598373598/videos/1298350183549500/
The US, Arabia, UK, Israel etc. armed funded and trained the people known as ISIS, these muppets were backed to topple Assad and cause chaos. They have absolutely failed to overthrow Assad and install a puppet government. Now western forces need an excuse to invade, these sob stories are no doubt designed to raise public support for yet another war of aggression in the middle east.
The usual lies about Israel like the UN vote passes on Thursday that the Temple Mount Solomons temple has no connection with the Jews
No evidence that Israel arms and trains ISIL just the usual blind hatred of the only democracy in the Middle East
That has fought lots of groups live ISIL for 70 years for its survival
John why have the Israelis not targeted the Islamists including IS even once in the Syrian Golan? They can even see them operating from their positions in Israeli occupied Golan. The only time they are even in contact with the terrorists is in providing ,medical attention to their injured. Yet they attack the SAA on a weekly basis, you cannot defend the indefensible!
@John003: https://www.yahoo.com/news/un-assembly-calls-israel-join-nuclear-treaty-174032033.html?ref=gs
Absolute rubbish, Israeli lies were central to the Iraq war, Most of the chaos in the middle east has zionist roots. They have attacked all their neighbours but still paint themselves as the perpetual victims.
Aipac and other jewish lobby groups were hell bent on starting a war on Iran based off nuclear weapons lies. However they will never acknowledge Israels nuclear stockpile. Anytime international bodies try to take action the are blocked by the US.
Its well past time people started calling a spade a spade.
@John003: Here’s How the US, Israel, al-Qaeda and ISIS Work Together in Syria
The Syrian war has two major fronts. The first and most important is in southern Syria, on the borderline with Israel and the occupied territories of the Syrian Golan Heights. This area is divided into two areas: the liberated area of Al-Quneitra, and the occupied area of the Golan Heights where Jabhat Al-Nusra and Al-Qaeda’s base their fighters.
Israel has been attempting to drive the Syrian army out of Al-Quneitra. Israel’s objective is to join this part of the Golan Heights to the territory it controls, thereby creating a buffer zone like the one it once had in southern Lebanon. In order to achieve this objective Israel regularly bombs Syrian military positions in the area, including Syrian Arab Army artillery positions, radar stations, etc.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/heres-how-the-us-israel-al-qaeda-and-isis-work-together-in-syria/5547155
Israeli Intelligence chief : We do not want isis defeat in Syria
The west always seems to back the wrong course. Dictators like Gaddafi, Saddam, and Assad keep the peace, in their way. The west should not have interfered. But they did, so the uk should be working with Assad and Putin.
@John003:
Agree. No evidence whatsoever that Israel arms and supports ISIS,a terror partner of HAMAS. Why would they!
Only the Jew-haters throw that in without thinking that it destroys much the rest of their arguement.They are just using the tragedy of Aleppo to feed their own hatreds of Israel and others and have no empathy at all for Palestinians or Syrians.
Israel acknowledges it is helping Syrian rebel fightersDefense minister says Jerusalem assists insurgents in exchange for promise Druze will be kept out of harm’s way
Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon said Monday that Israel has been providing aid to Syrian rebels, thus keeping the Druze in Syria out of immediate danger. Israeli officials have previously balked at confirming on the record that the country has been helping forces that are fighting to overthrow Syrian President Bashar Assad. http://www.timesofisrael.com/yaalon-syrian-rebels-keeping-druze-safe-in-exchange-for-israeli-aid/
New Evidence Suggests Israel Is Helping Syrian Rebels in the Golan Heights
Israel continues to interact with Syrian rebels in the Golan Heights and allow them to cross the border, according to a new UN report corroborated by a VICE News team that visited the area in November, uncovering additional incidents beyond what has been described by the UN.
https://news.vice.com/article/new-evidence-suggests-israel-is-helping-syrian-rebels-in-the-golan-heights
The ‘Facebook spy’ who exposed Israel’s support for Syria rebels
Israel allegedly exposes world’s first Facebook espionage ring, and claims Golan Druze and former Israeli prisoner spied for Syria
In 2012, Israel released the longest-serving Arab security prisoner, Sedki al-Maket, from prison. He had served 27 years on charges of planning a terror attack. Al-Maket, age 48, is a resident of Majdal Shams, the major town in Israeli-occupied Golan.
http://www.middleeasteye.net/columns/spy-who-exposed-israel-s-support-al-nusra-345787430
Israeli Military Admits to Supporting Al Qaeda and ISIS in Syria
The alternative press has noted for months that Israel is supporting jihadis in Syria. But Israel has consistently denied these allegations … until now.
The Times of Israel reported 3 weeks ago:
Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon said Monday that Israel has been providing aid to Syrian rebels, thus keeping the Druze in Syria out of immediate danger. Israeli officials have previously balked at confirming on the record that the country has been helping forces that are fighting to overthrow Syrian President Bashar Assad. https://goo.gl/eLgOl8
The area in question ‘Golan Heights’. The same article has the explanation that you ,of course, being the the anti-Israeli that you are ,omitted.
Here it is……….
—”Israel has treated over 1,000 wounded Syrians in its hospitals since the onset of the civil war in 2011.
Israel will continue to act with sensitivity regarding the Druze, Ya’alon said. “On the other side — the rebels on the other side feel that we’re acting sensitively,” he said.
Israel has provided humanitarian assistance to wounded Syrian fighters located near the shared border since the civil war stated, the defense minister said. He said that such aid is extended under two conditions – that the fighters don’t let Islamic extremists to get close to the border, and that they don’t hurt the local Druze population.—”
@Patrick J O’CONNOR: That is but one of the angles
“We’ve assisted them under two conditions,” Ya’alon said of the Israeli medical aid to the Syrian rebels, some of whom are presumably fighting with al-Qaeda affiliate al-Nusra Front to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad. “That they don’t get too close to the border, and that they don’t touch the Druze.”
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend” — Kautilya, Arthaśāstra
@Pádraig Ó Raghaill:
The other being that Israel is prudently prepaing for an onslought by Iran-backed battle hardened Israel hating Hezebollah who are planning all out attacks against Israel with over 100,000 Iran-supplied rockets followed by genocidal Jihadis.
@Patrick J O’CONNOR:
Israel manages to piss many people off, even though that is mere paranoia, it is somewhat a justifiable position with what they have done to the Palestinians.
UN accuses Israel and Hamas of possible war crimes during 2014 Gaza conflict
Commission appointed by UN human rights council says those responsible for suspected violations of international law must be brought to justice
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/22/un-accuses-israel-and-hamas-of-possible-war-crimes-during-2014-gaza-war
@Pádraig Ó Raghaill:
The Guardian:the most anti-semitic of publications-
In The Guardian
—”But such is the Guardian’s fanatical obsession with Israel that when it comes to anti-semitism, a different set of rules applies. Apparently Jewish victims of prejudice don’t deserve sympathy and, in some ways, deserve the opprobrium heaped upon them.—-”
https://ukmediawatch.org/how-we-define-antisemitism/
@Pádraig Ó Raghaill: The UN is a joke as most readers here on the j. are well aware.
-
—-”Rocket and mortar attacks by Palestinian militant groups during last summer’s conflict in Gaza amounted to war crimes, Amnesty International says.–”
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-32053999
-
And the 400,000 Jews murdered by Haj Amin Al Hussein,Yasser Arafat’s Uncle, was a crime against Humanity.
And Yasser himself using child suicide bombers to murder Israeli civilians was a war crime,etc.,etc.,etc.
Nothing about the other half of Aleppo being shelled by the opposition? You’d nearly think this was a one sided war! With what do you think these terrorists are doing with the arms they receive from their backers ? Shoot daffodils?
There’s no doubt that shelling of western Aleppo has also caused civilian casualties, which is equally deplorable, but all you have to do is look at recent photos of Western Aleppo compared to Eastern Aleppo to realise how asymmetric the conflict is in the city. It’s like comparing photos of Gaza after it was flattened with photos of Israeli held neighbourhoods beside Gaza.
@liam hayes: While Russia must be responsible for deaths in Aleppo there are terrible lies being told by the media, we are all being subjected to blatant US/EU propaganda by the RTE news in particular over Aleppo as if the bombs the EU/US were dropping were made from daisy’s and rose petals. We have very sinister media in Ireland !
Moderate Syrian Rebel = Al Nusra
The Jihadists(FSA, AL Nusra etc) and their Western backers need to GTFO
Most people rely on sky news or BBC for their news. RT news gives a completely different account of whats happening. I think the truth maybe somewhere in between the differing accounts.
Just go on Twitter and you get all the first hand accounts, it’s fairly easy to tell which accounts are biased and which are trying to tell it how it is. At least RT and others are in the conflict zone, most western outlets don’t even have people in the country and rely on a lad in Coventry for their news.
@Seamus Og: RT News is a Russian Propaganda channel
2,000 terrorists in Eastern Aleppo are negotiating their surrender at the moment, the end of this horrific siege is almost there for the Syrians, I’m sure the majority of people around the world will be relieved, much to the chagrin of Washington and its terror sponsoring allies.
@Joe Corleone:
You mean Hillary Clinton. She helped start it all when Sec. of State under Obama by destroying Libya and backing Morsi and the MB Terror network.
And the goof-balls want to see her back in the war-room.
Quite a few unconfirmed reports of 200 “military advisors”, mostly from America and the UK, are trapped in East Aleppo with the remaining Al Nusra/FSA units. If this is true then it will be interesting if they are captured alive and paraded on tv for the world to see. Is this anything to do with the ‘emergency talks’ between Lavrov and Kerry in Switzerland this weekend (Even though the US cut off all diplomatic ties with Russia recently?)
Sickening to see hospitals and civillians being bombed. Too much politics involved at the moment on both sides. Let’s hope those involved in the bombing of innocent people are stopped. Kids being killed daily. Animals
John cook: yeah maybe they should drop water balloons instead, lol!
Poor work, Cormac Fitzgerald. Basically, a primer in Western neocon propaganda. Even the title ‘a city destroyed on the brink of oblivion’ is awful. It’s a part of a city, it’s badly damaged, not destroyed and it could hardly be heading for oblivion (the state of being utterly forgotten) when fools keep pushing falsehoods to enable action against Russia. Well done, Cormac!
Where are the protests ?
Civilians in the government-held area of western Aleppo describe these rebel groups funded by the US and NATO as “terrorists,” often without noting any specific group. These “Rebels” drove 600 000 people from the Eastern part of the city into the safety of the Syrian government-held western area. Yet the western media describes these terrorists as the “brave opposition forces” being “pounded” by Syrian and Russian air raids. Nor does the media mention that the United States and European Union are imposing crippling economic sanctions on Syria, while also actively pouring in thousands of weapons and millions of dollars in funding to the 360,000 foreign mercenaries committing human rights abuses throughout Syria.., The western media only report stories from this conflict that suit The US/NATOs Agenda. Personally,i would’ve thought Ireland being a “neutral” country would have a more balanced view on the matter but it seems we are being spewed propaganda as well. But thankfully, it seems that most people have woken up and do not believe that The US and their allies are the ” good guys ” anymore.
@Bryan Mannix: Kerry and Johnson today denouncing ‘the Russians and the Assad regime’ for the ‘slaughter of innocents’ Kerry reckons if they even manage to rid the country of terrorists, ‘states’ will continue to fund them. In other words, he’s threatening Russia and Assad that if they don’t stop killing their pet headhunting butchers,and finally rid Syria of them, that they will just carry on funding, arming training and sending in more to replace them. Also, that these atrocities will never end without a political agreement. Meaning of course that unless they are allowed to get rid of Assad, they will continue with their destruction of Syria.
Reading this article you’d think that the US have absolutely nothing to do with how Aleppo got to this point. Laughably one sided propaganda.
Syrian rebels =ISIS The citizens of Aleppo should be evacuated to the refugee camps, or to Damascus, leaving the rebels in situ. The blow Aleppo off the face of the earth
It’s a crime against humanity. It is one thing to destroy a city. It is another thing to exterminate a civilian population so as to kill dissidents.
Enlighten us as to how you would deal with the Al Qaeda terrorists who are holding the eastern neighbourhoods and blocking civilian from leaving. They won’t surrender and they won’t negotiate or be part of any ceasefire so what is the solution.
Assuming what you said is correct Paul, does it justify the massacre of the same civilian population you purport to be protecting? I’m pretty sure Israel used a similar argument in Gaza.
Gaza is not a part of the largest city in Israel so the comparison is pointless. If half of Tel Aviv, Beijing, Sydney, London or LA was occupied by Al Qaeda terrorists who wouldn’t surrender or negotiate the outcome would be the same, a military attack on the terrorists. Again I ask what is the solution in East Aleppo other than a military one? More civilians were killed in an attack in Yemen last week than anything witnessed in Syria in the past five years yet this was ignored. Why are some lives more important than others?Also the attack on Mosul is just beginning with airstrikes on the city today, this is causing civilian casualties but I don’t hear anyone saying this operation should be halted, why is that treated differently?
@PaulJ: Research the origins of Al Qaeda and you will find they are a 1980′s US construct. So called ISIS’s very existence benefits US foreign policy hugely just as Al Qaeda did in the past. For some strange reason this raging fundamentalists Islamic group capable of attacking western interests anywhere in the world has not once attacked Islams greatest enemy namely Israel or even any Israeli targets on the planet. Photos of these “fundamentalists” released by western media have shown them praying at right angles to each other with their shoes still on. When all Muslims pray facing the same direction towards Mecca and always remove their shoes before prayer. Western media have released countless images of large convoys of “ISIS” trucks driving down roads bristling with arms and with all the US drones in the sky above they go unmolested.
@Martin Byrne: —for some strange reason… Of course you mean some nefarious reason lintimating Israel is in in some way colluding with ISIS the terror partner of HAMAS.
To answer your question israel is the 11 most powerful military in the world and Israelis know that any defeat for them is the end for all Jews in Israel. Consequently they are resolved to do whatever is necessary to stop any Jew-hating state or terrorist org.
ISIS wants its Islamic jihadi volunteers to commit suicide not themselves as it would be suicide for all of them to attack Israel.
Michael OLainne: yeah they were terrible war crimes the allies committed in ww2 on innocent German civilians.
The original ceasefire had some chance until the Americans bombed and killed 92 Syrian Army Soldiers.
The Americans should f off and bring their terrorists with them
Moderate Syrian rebels ha reminds me of the heroic northern alliance in Afghanistan who were drug runners and murderers that the Pentagon cosied up to BTW the moderate rebels hacked the head off a 12 year old Palestinian boy recently.
The vast majority of the civilian deaths in this civil war have been at the hands of the Syrian Government. A creepy amount of people defending Assad/Russia in this comments section.
@Simon:
And an even larger percentage of people have not a single brain cell to differentiate from subjective propaganda. Even the UN has stopped mentioning deaths as they had to admit that all the accounts of the predominantly rebel-held sources changed substantially and had no credibility.
However, unthinking media consumers believe the headlines while not even considering how hard it would be to gain an accurate representation of whom is from what side. Deaths have been double even triple entered, and statistics have varied as much as 90,000 between rebel reported accounts.
It is the same as headlines like the last doctor in Aleppo when there are 4000 registered and active doctors. It is, even more, telling when no mainstream media has reported that Assad has spent his days often working in hospitals.
@Pádraig Ó Raghaill: Quite apart from being a psychopathic Dictator Assad was an Opthamologist not a great deal of use in a crisis.
@Gaye Dalton: Just shows how little you understand about medical degrees and no he is not a psychopathic dictator. However, you are a terrorist sympathiser.
In 1988, Assad graduated from medical school and began working as an army doctor in the biggest military hospital, “Tishrin”, on the outskirts of Damascus. Four years later, he went to the United Kingdom to begin postgraduate training in ophthalmology at the Western Eye Hospital, part of the St Mary’s group of teaching hospitals in London.
Can anything save the jihadist enclave of eastern Aleppo? Yes, there is. the Islamist fanatics should lay down their weapons and take the safe passage they’ve been guaranteed and clear off to Saudi and the other Gulf states that support them.
Another thing to bear in mind is that western media support for these Islamist’s will not be given any recognition or gratitude. Rather the opposite; it will be seen as a weakness and evidence of Allah’s will in manipulation Islam’s enemies to achieve his will.
“What’s a leppo?”
Sums up US intelligence
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