Aleppo council head says 150,000 'condemned to death'

Record ID: 76300

  • Title: Aleppo council head says 150,000 'condemned to death'
  • Date: 8th December 2016
  • Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (DECEMBER 8, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PALAIS EYNARD BUILDING SWISS, UNITED NATIONS AND GENEVA CANTON FLAGS NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS, WITH (LEFT TO RIGHT) REPRESENTATIVE OF UNION OF SYRIAN MEDICAL RELIEF ORGANISATIONS TAWFIK CHAMAA, ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCILLOR FOR GENEVA REMY PAGANI, PRESIDENT OF ALEPPO LOCAL COUNCIL BRITA HAJI HASSAN AND INTERPRETERS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PRESIDENT OF ALEPPO CITY COUNCIL, BRITA HAJI HASAN, SAYING (INTERPRETER SPEAKING IN BETWEEN): "For now there are 150,000 who are condemned to death ... (we demand) a safe corridor for the civilians and to stop the shelling and to stop the bloodshed." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PRESIDENT OF ALEPPO CITY COUNCIL, BRITA HAJI HASAN, SAYING: "All types of weapons are being used including chlorine gas, which has been used five times during the last 26 days." HASAN SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PRESIDENT OF ALEPPO CITY COUNCIL, BRITA HAJI HASAN, SAYING: "Ten days ago, marked the last incident when chlorine gas was used, one family of six - four children and their parents -- were killed in the Al-Sakhour neighbourhood of Aleppo." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (French) MEMBER OF SYRIAN MEDICAL RELIEF GROUP, TAWFIK CHAMAA, SAYING: "Right now, there remain 28 doctors for 250,000 residents -- 28 doctors who no longer have the means to do their work properly. There are no more hospitals. They do their work on the pavement or in a basement. Humanity should be ashamed. We are preparing a dark future for our children when those limits fail to be respected." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (French) MEMBER OF SYRIAN MEDICAL RELIEF GROUP, TAWFIK CHAMAA, SAYING: "On the other side, where these wounded end up - the 1,500 people - we urge (to have) a minimum number of U.N. international observers to monitor this operation to ensure the safety of the wounded. From the very sad past experience of the systematic execution of the wounded in hospitals inside the country, we fear that among these wounded, there's a chance they could be seen as enemies and that they could be executed or arrested, or diverted on the way to seek help in hospitals." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS
  • Embargoed: 23rd December 2016 15:54
  • Keywords: Aleppo local council Brita Haji Hassan Tawfik Chamaa medical humanitarian aid chlorine
  • Location: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
  • City: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
  • Country: Switzerland
  • Reuters ID: LVA0015C0Y9FR
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: More than 800 people have been killed and 3,000-3,500 wounded in Syria's besieged eastern Aleppo in the past 26 days, while the remaining trapped civilians await an effective death sentence, the president of the Aleppo local council said on Thursday (December 8).
    "For now there are 150,000 who are condemned to death," Brita Haji Hassan said during a trip to Geneva, where he will meet U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura on Monday (December 12).
    He added he was calling for a safe corridor for the civilians and to stop the shelling and to stop the bloodshed, and said the Syrian regime was using all types of arms in its campaign to retake parts of eastern Aleppo from rebels.
    "Ten days ago, marked the last incident when chlorine gas was used, one family of six - four children and their parent were killed in the Al Sahur neighbourhood of Aleppo," Hassan said.
    Tawfik Chamaa, a representative of the Union of Syrian Medical Relief Organisations (UOSSM), said 1,500 people needed medical evacuation.
    "We urge (to have) a minimum number of U.N. international observers to monitor this operation to ensure the safety of the wounded. From the very sad past experience of the systematic execution of the wounded in hospitals inside the country, we fear that among these wounded, there's a chance they could be seen as enemies and that they could be executed or arrested, or diverted on the way to help in hospitals," Chamaa said.
    The U.N. estimates about 33,000 people have been displaced in the past 10 days, including about 20,000 going into government-held areas. But Syria's government says 30,000 have been registered in government-held zones alone.
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