Syrian forces continue to bombard eastern Aleppo, 12 civilians killed in air strikes

At least 12 more people were killed in eastern Aleppo on Monday (26 September) including three children after forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his allies continued to bombard rebel held areas. According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, nine others sustained injuries, while some of them are said to be in a critical state.

More than 280 people have reportedly been killed in rebel-held eastern Aleppo since the offensive began on 22 September. Around 85 people were killed over the weekend and at least 400 were wounded, which included 61 children, a doctor's group said.

Meanwhile, residents in Aleppo have said that the Syrian regime's fresh offensive to take control of the entire city, backed by Russian air strikes is unparalelled in its viciousness and ferocity.

Moreover, reports said that only 30 doctors were left in eastern Aleppo to treat thousands of wounded civilians, are also facing a shortage in surgical supplies.

A pediatrician named Abd Arrahman Alomar, who works for the Syrian American Medical Society (Sams), said to a news briefing in Geneva on 26 September, "There are 30 doctors who are still inside the eastern Aleppo city."

He added that the doctors did not have proper equipment and enough medicine to treat the numerous trauma cases. He said that the fuel available to run the hospital generators could last for only 20 more days and that there were just two pediatricians and one obstetrician to treat pregnant women and almost 85,000 children.

Dr Alomar stressed that if the bombings continued, "We are going to the point of zero where there are no facilities to be protected, where there is no health staff to be protected."

The observatory further said that a number of fighters along with their families were seen leaving Homs – the last neighbourhood under the control of the opposition – on Monday. Last week, around 300 rebels were evacuated from Waer neighbourhood along with their family members as well.

Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said in an interview that the recent ceasefire brokered by US and Russia was "not dead yet". Syria mounted an offensive in the east of the city, despite efforts by the US and Russia to reach a diplomatic solution and a lasting truce.

In a meeting called by the US, UK and Russia at the UN Security Council on Sunday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and US ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power separately called Syrian regime's offensive "barbaric".