- Title: SYRIA: Azaz hospital damaged by fighting in Aleppo
- Date: 22nd July 2012
- Summary: RESENDING WITH FULL SCRIPT AZAZ, SYRIA (JULY 20, 2012) (AMATEUR VIDEO OBTAINED BY REUTERS) CAR ON EMPTY STREET LEADING TO AZAZ EXTERIOR OF HOSPITAL MAIN ENTRANCE OF AZAZ HOSPITAL VARIOUS OF DAMAGED WINDOWS OF HOSPITAL ENTRANCE OF KIDNEY DIALYSIS SECTION OF HOSPITAL BROKEN WINDOW EMPTY BEDS PEOPLE ENTERING EMERGENCY UNIT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) AZAZ RESIDENT, ABU ZEID, SAYIN
- Embargoed: 6th August 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Syrian Arab Republic
- Country: Syria
- Topics: Conflict,Health
- Reuters ID: LVA9WLX7K9XZUTDM1R9ZAH9GIUVZ
- Story Text: Heavy fighting between rebels and government forces has left the main hospital in northern town of Azaz in ruins and empty of patients and medical staff.
Amateur video obtained by Reuters shows the deserted street leading to the national hospital of Azaz, abandoned following recent clashes nearby.
Images said to be shot on Friday (July 20) show broken window glass, damaged medical equipment and hospital beds.
Local opposition activists accused government forces of targeting the hospital during recent clashes with the rebels from the Free Syria Army.
"This national hospital cost hundreds of millions of Syrian pounds. It needed 25 years to be ready. Within hours, the army sent it back to the early stages, depriving hundreds of patients from treatment and prevented saving of hundreds of lives," said Azaz resident and opposition activist Abu Zeid.
Syrian opposition activists say Azaz is considered to be 'free' of the control of the regular army.
Before the rebellion, Azaz was a known contraband and commercial market for the trade of goods from Turkey, particularly clothing. It is now a rebel stronghold and witness to sporadic fighting with government forces.
Elsewhere in the country, witnesses said Syrian forces bombarded parts of Damascus with helicopter gunships on Sunday (July 22) clawing back territory from the rebels a week after the fighters launched what they called a final battle for the capital.
In a further escalation of a conflict that emboldened opponents of President Bashar al-Assad have turned into all-out civil war, fighting raged around the intelligence headquarters in the biggest city Aleppo and in Deir al-Zor in the east.
Syrian forces regained control of one of two border crossings seized by rebels on the frontier with Iraq, Iraqi officials said, but rebels said they had captured a third border crossing with Turkey, Bab al-Salam north of Aleppo.
ENDS - Copyright Holder: AMATEUR VIDEO (CAN SELL)
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None