Bombs fall as East Aleppo food supplies run out

Food stockpiles in east Aleppo are almost completely exhausted, as Russia and the Syrian regime launches a new wave of bombing on the besieged rebel district.

The last rations have been handed out, and there appears to be no way of getting more supplies into the encircled area without regime approval.

This would look to be a near impossible task. East Aleppo has remained closed since mid-July, when regime forces encircled the area and no aid has entered since.

Last week, the UN warned that the 250,000 residents stuck in east Aleppo face starvation with no more food available unless the international community and regime act.

Along with hunger, residents now have to worry about the return of air raids to the city. Tuesday saw some of the most punitive and devastating weapons in Russia and Damascus' arsenal being used.

Missiles from Russia's Mediterranean fleet, and cluster, napalm and barrel bomb attacks have been used, while the regime gears up for an all-out offensive on Aleppo.

Bombardments yesterday and this morning killed at least 20 people - including nine children - in Aleppo alone. It is expected that many more will die in the days to come.

Further bombing in rebel-held Idlib province have also taken place. There has also been reports of three hospitals destroyed in air raids over the past few days.

It appears to be a part of a widespread campaign against civilian infrastructure and homes in opposition areas.

"The shelling targeted innocent civilians in their homes in Kafr Jalis, and there is a lot of destruction," said Yahya Arja from the White Helmets civil defence in the province.

"We worked through the night to lift the debris and remove the martyrs and surviving civilians, and now we're trying to remove the rubble blocking the roads," he told AFP.

Agencies contributed to this story.