The United Nations suspended aid convoys across Syria on Tuesday a day after an air strike hit relief trucks near the city of Aleppo, killing at least one aid worker and around 20 civilians, and destroying a warehouse and hospital.
The attacks were carried out by either Assad regime’s or Russian aircraft, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, adding that there had been 35 strikes in and around Aleppo since the truce ended officially at 1600 GMT.
The Observatory said at least 32 people were killed.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which said it was postponing an aid convoy that had been set to deliver supplies to four besieged Syrian towns, warned of the consequences for millions of civilians in need.
“As an immediate security measure, other convoy movements in Syria have been suspended for the time being pending further assessment of the security situation,” Jens Laerke, U.N. humanitarian aid spokesman, told a news briefing in Geneva.
“However we remain committed to stay and deliver to everybody in need in Syria,” he added.
“If this callous attack is found to be a deliberate targeting of humanitarians, it would amount to a war crime,” U.N. aid chief Stephen O’Brien said in a statement calling for an immediate and independent investigation.
“Yesterday’s attack is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and it is unacceptable,” Peter Maurer, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said in a statement. “Failing to protect humanitarian workers and structures might have serious repercussions on ongoing humanitarian work in the country, hence depriving millions of people of aid essential to their survival.”
Aid postponed
Aid convoys for four Syrian towns will be postponed as staff reassess security after the deadly attack on relief trucks and intensified violence, a senior ICRC official said earlier.
“This is very worrying. We see a resumption of violence, an intensification of fighting in many locations,” Robert Mardini, ICRC director for the Middle East and North Africa, told Reuters in Geneva.
“We had something planned in the four towns, but for now it is put on hold to reassess the security conditions,” he said, referring to rebel-besieged Foua and Kefraya in Idlib and government-blockaded Madaya and Zabadani near the Lebanese border.
At least 18 of 31 trucks in a U.N. and Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) convoy were hit on Monday along with an SARC warehouse. The convoy was delivering aid for 78,000 people in the hard-to-reach town of Urm al-Kubra in Aleppo province.
“Life-saving aid supplies have been totally damaged and a health clinic destroyed, depriving thousands of civilians of much needed food and medical assistance,” said Benoit Carpentier of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
SARC’s director in Urem al-Kubra, Omar Barakat, was among the dead, Mardini said. “The team is in shock.”
“Omar was badly injured and the rescue team could not reach him for two hours. When he was evacuated he could not survive his wounds,” he said.
Staffan de Mistura, United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, denounced the air raid. “Our outrage at this attack is enormous… The convoy was the outcome of a long process of permission and preparations to assist isolated civilians,” he said.
The Syrian crisis began as a peaceful demonstration against the injustice in Syria. Assad regime used to fire power and violence against the civilians and led to armed resistance. 450.000 Syrians lost their lives in the past five years according to UN estimates, and more than 12 million have lost their homes. Syria
Photos of aid trucks ablaze after hit by Russian airstrikes on the way to Owram al Kobra in rural west #Aleppo #Syria pic.twitter.com/nvlgqOmv5y
— FSA News (@FSAPlatform) September 19, 2016
Footage of aid trucks aflame in east #Aleppo after hit by Russian airstrikes pic.twitter.com/xQvnwSQOdX
— FSA News (@FSAPlatform) September 19, 2016
This aid convoy is hit in Aleppo by Assad. Everyone in these trucks is dead. And the @RedCrescentTR center too. @ICRC @UNHumanRights #Syria pic.twitter.com/mc8rZr8Nqe
— Lara Stuart-Müller (@loveconcursall) September 19, 2016
Syrian or Russian warplanes bombed aid trucks near Aleppo destroying them completely#Aleppo #Syria #Syriaceasefire pic.twitter.com/xBu5OtMir4
— Middle East Observer (@MEOorg) September 19, 2016
