'Monstrous disregard for Syrian lives' as medical facilities destroyed

"In the past two days, four clinics were completely destroyed by Syrian regime and Russian airstrikes," activist Mohammed al-Halbi told The New Arab.

"The medical centre in Bustan al-Qasr area was hit by crude barrel bombs which destroyed its equipment and medical supplies, forcing the centre to shut down," Halbi said.

"The shelling also hit al-Marja neighbourhood south-eastern Aleppo, destroying its roof and walls and setting fire to most of its medical equipment," he added.

"The airstrikes hit a pharmaceutical warehouse in the city, destroying the drugs and ambulance vehicles parked outside," Halbi told The New Arab.

Al-Quds hospital, supported by Doctors Without Borders [MSF] and the ICRC, was reduced to rubbles by regime airstrikes on Wednesday, killing at least 50 people killed, including medical staff and children.

"There can be no justification for these appalling acts of violence deliberately targeting hospitals and clinics," said Marianne Gasser, head of the ICRC in Syria.

"People keep dying in these attacks. There is no safe place anymore in Aleppo. Even in hospitals," she said.

There can be no justification for these appalling acts of violence deliberately targeting hospitals and clinics... There is no safe place anymore in Aleppo. Even in hospitals - Marianne Gasser, head of the ICRC in Syria

Barrel bombs continued to fall on residential neighbourhoods on Friday, as rescue workers scrambled to cope with the casualties.

Civil defence volunteers, known as the White Helmets, pulled bloodied bodies caked in dust from buildings hit in rebel-held Fardos district.

An AFP correspondent saw a distraught man cradling his wounded daughter, who appeared to be about 10 years old, in an ambulance.

"My daughter! Oh God, my daughter, please someone get in and drive!" he screamed.

After a rescue worker jumped into the driver's seat, the young girl whimpered: "I'm going to die... I'm going to die."

Some onlookers helped rescue workers remove rubble as others stared at the sky waiting for the next strike.

Despite the carnage, Aleppo has been excluded from a fresh "freeze" in fighting brokered by the US and Russia.

UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein on Friday slammed world powers backing opposing sides in Syria, saying the renewed violence showed a "monstrous disregard for civilian lives."

	UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein slammed world powers backing opposing sides in Syria, saying the renewed violence showed a 'monstrous disregard for civilian lives'

Meanwhile the United Nations has proposed a resolution set for next week demanding all conflicting parties to protect medical workers, hospitals and medical facilities against violence and attacks.

The draft resolution, circulated Friday, expressed deep concern over the increase number of attacks on medical facilities, despite obligations under international law that combatants must protect medical staff and facilities as well as the sick and wounded.

"We need to shine a light and make clear the international community's utter rejection of such practices," New Zealand's UN ambassador Gerard van Bohemen, who co-authored the resolution, said.

The resolution "sends a strong message that this emerging and sickening tactic of modern warfare – attacks on medical workers and hospitals – are breaches of international law and will not be tolerated," he added.

The Security Council will vote on the resolution on Tuesday.

Agencies contributed to this report