Aleppo bombardment continues after UN warns of unprecedented 'catastrophe'

The Syrian regime and Russia renewed their air raids in rebel-held districts of Syria's Aleppo on Wednesday, a day after a United Nations official warned of an unprecedented "humanitarian catastrophe".

Warplanes launched airstrikes on Aleppo's southern districts killing and injuring dozens, local sources told The New Arab.

The regime's shelling over the rebel-held city of Tariq al-Bab killed more than 20 people, just a day after heavy airstrikes had killed at least 19 civilians, including three children, and wounded dozens more.

Men were seen pulling debris and rubble from the ground floor of a building, while others zipped corpses into black body bags.

Meanwhile Russian airstrikes in al-Ramousa killed tens of more people.

The increased fighting has raised concerns for the estimated 1.5 million civilians still in the shattered city, including some 250,000 in rebel-held areas.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has warned of an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, urging for a quick ceasefire deal.

"In Aleppo we risk seeing a humanitarian catastrophe unprecedented in the over five years of bloodshed and suffering in the Syrian conflict," he told the UN Security Council in his latest monthly report on aid access.

"All parties to the conflict are failing to uphold their obligation to protect civilians."

The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria said it was "gravely concerned for the safety of civilians" in Aleppo and called for "immediate attention and response" to their plight.

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch accused Syrian and Russian warplanes of having repeatedly used incendiary weapons against civilians in northern Syria, saying it had documented their use at least 18 times since June.