UNICEF ‘appalled’ by Russian attacks on hospitals in Syria

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said yesterday that it is “appalled” by the Russian airstrikes on hospitals in war-torn Syria, a statement by the organisation’s Executive Director Anthony Lake said.

“We at UNICEF are appalled by reports of attacks against four medical facilities in Syria – two of which were supported by UNICEF. One is a child and maternal hospital where children were reportedly killed and scores evacuated,” the statement said.

“Two of the strikes occurred at Azaz in Aleppo and another two in Idlib, where one of the hospitals was reportedly struck four times.”

“There are reports that two schools were attacked at Azaz reportedly killing six children,” adding that it is “urgently seeking further information” about the reported attack.

According to the statement, “a third of hospitals and a quarter of schools in Syria – 5,000 – are no longer functioning.”

The Anadolu Agency reported civil defence sources saying that 14 people were killed and 23 others were wounded in Russian and Syrian regime airstrikes against and around hospitals in Syria.