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Amid Rain of Shells, Aleppo’s Civilians Offer ‘Final Scream’ Amid Rain of Shells, Aleppo’s Civilians Offer ‘Final Scream’
(about 1 hour later)
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Artillery shelling resumed early Wednesday on besieged eastern neighborhoods of the Syrian city of Aleppo, delaying the evacuation of thousands of civilians and medical staff members who had been expecting to leave under a deal involving Russia and Turkey.BEIRUT, Lebanon — Artillery shelling resumed early Wednesday on besieged eastern neighborhoods of the Syrian city of Aleppo, delaying the evacuation of thousands of civilians and medical staff members who had been expecting to leave under a deal involving Russia and Turkey.
It was the latest, bitter whiplash for those trapped in the ruined city. Under a supposed deal announced on Tuesday by Turkey, Russia and Syrian rebels, the last remaining fighters were to evacuate to rebel-held territory, and civilians were free to join them or to move to government-held areas. As a result, the whole city of Aleppo would be in the hands of forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. It was the latest, bitter whiplash for those trapped in the ruined city. Under a supposed deal announced on Tuesday by Turkey, Russia and Syrian rebels, the last remaining fighters were to evacuate to rebel-held territory and civilians were free to join them or to move to government-held areas. As a result, the whole city of Aleppo would be in the hands of forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.
“The Syrian government has a clear responsibility to ensure its people are safe and is palpably failing to take this opportunity to do so,” the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, said in a statement on Wednesday. “The way this deal was dangled in front of this battered and beleaguered population — causing them to hope they might indeed live to see another day — and then snatched away just half a day later is also outrageously cruel.”
A radiology nurse in Aleppo, Mohamed al-Ahmad, said he hoped the world would hear “our final scream from the last free neighborhoods in Aleppo.”A radiology nurse in Aleppo, Mohamed al-Ahmad, said he hoped the world would hear “our final scream from the last free neighborhoods in Aleppo.”
He said he had lost faith as the deal to evacuate the last pockets of opposition-controlled areas had fallen apart. “The agreement has been broken,” he said on Wednesday on the Viber messaging app. “Hundreds of shells have fallen on us. People who were supposed to leave were attacked. The medical situation is so dire situation that people are bleeding to death in the streets.” He said he had lost faith as the deal to evacuate the last pockets of opposition-controlled areas had fallen apart. “The agreement has been broken,” he said on Wednesday via the messaging app Viber. “Hundreds of shells have fallen on us. People who were supposed to leave were attacked.”
The medical situation is so dire, he added, “that people are bleeding to death in the streets.”
Malek, an activist who said he hoped to join his pregnant wife in northern Aleppo Province, and who asked to be identified only by his first name for fear of being killed, said that “the scenes are unbearable.” He added: “I would say that life is becoming harder than death. People are dying for nothing, without any justification. Humans are no longer human.”Malek, an activist who said he hoped to join his pregnant wife in northern Aleppo Province, and who asked to be identified only by his first name for fear of being killed, said that “the scenes are unbearable.” He added: “I would say that life is becoming harder than death. People are dying for nothing, without any justification. Humans are no longer human.”
On Wednesday, buses that were supposed to evacuate some of the last holdouts in the heavily bombed neighborhoods left, empty, after waiting for hours, the Lebanese television station Al Manar, which is affiliated with the militant Shiite group Hezbollah, reported. Interviewed over the messaging service WhatsApp, he added, using a mournful expression, “We didn’t taste the flavor of life.”
On Wednesday, buses that were supposed to evacuate some of the last holdouts in the heavily bombed neighborhoods left, empty, after waiting for hours, according to the Lebanese television station Al Manar, which is affiliated with the militant Shiite group Hezbollah.
The Lebanese channel Al Mayadeen showed buses idling at a prearranged evacuation point, waiting to take 5,000 fighters and their families to Atareb, a town west of Aleppo, with thousands more civilians to follow. But the buses left when it became clear that there would be no evacuation.The Lebanese channel Al Mayadeen showed buses idling at a prearranged evacuation point, waiting to take 5,000 fighters and their families to Atareb, a town west of Aleppo, with thousands more civilians to follow. But the buses left when it became clear that there would be no evacuation.
Osama Abu Zayd, a legal adviser to Syrian opposition factions, told The Associated Press that the evacuation deal was being resisted by Iran’s field commander in Syria. Opposition leaders and civilians inside Aleppo said they believed that Iran — a major ally of the Syrian government — had balked at the deal, annoyed that Russia and Turkey had not consulted it.Osama Abu Zayd, a legal adviser to Syrian opposition factions, told The Associated Press that the evacuation deal was being resisted by Iran’s field commander in Syria. Opposition leaders and civilians inside Aleppo said they believed that Iran — a major ally of the Syrian government — had balked at the deal, annoyed that Russia and Turkey had not consulted it.
Witnesses said pro-government militias had prevented a convoy of about 70 wounded people — mostly fighters and their relatives — from departing. The militias, observers said, insisted that they would not allow anyone out until rebel groups had ended their siege of Fouaa and Kfarya, two encircled Shiite enclaves in Idlib Province.Witnesses said pro-government militias had prevented a convoy of about 70 wounded people — mostly fighters and their relatives — from departing. The militias, observers said, insisted that they would not allow anyone out until rebel groups had ended their siege of Fouaa and Kfarya, two encircled Shiite enclaves in Idlib Province.
The Russian Defense Ministry blamed the rebels for the impasse, saying on Wednesday that they had “resumed the hostilities” at dawn, trying to break through Syrian government positions to the northwest.The Russian Defense Ministry blamed the rebels for the impasse, saying on Wednesday that they had “resumed the hostilities” at dawn, trying to break through Syrian government positions to the northwest.
The impasse could be the sign of a stalling tactic by Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad. His government has often skillfully played its backers — Iran, Russia and others — against one another. The disagreement could provide cover for what the Syrian government has wanted to do all along: finish off the enclave with force. As one Syrian military officer told Reuters in Aleppo recently, rebels must “surrender or die.” The impasse could be the sign of a stalling tactic by Mr. Assad. His government has often skillfully played its backers — Iran, Russia and others — against one another. The disagreement could provide cover for what the Syrian government has wanted to do all along: finish off the enclave with force. As one Syrian military officer told Reuters in Aleppo recently, rebels must “surrender or die.”
Malek, an activist who has repeatedly moved around eastern Aleppo for his safety, and who asked to be identified only by his first name for fear that he would soon find himself in government territory, said he had looked forward to the evacuation, but that “nothing happened.” On Wednesday, Russian television broadcast an interview with Mr. Assad in which he reiterated his description of President-elect Donald J. Trump as a prospective ally, given Mr. Trump’s opposition to Islamist terrorism and Mr. Trump’s call for the United States not to interfere in other countries’ affairs.
Interviewed over the messaging service WhatsApp, he added, using a mournful idiom, “We didn’t taste the flavor of life.” “If Trump can overcome all these obstacles and genuinely fight against terrorism, I believe, he will become our natural ally — and yours, too,” Mr. Assad said, referring to the domestic opposition faced by Mr. Trump.
Troubles carrying out the accord were not surprising, as there was no international monitoring — United Nations officials said the Syrian government had refused their repeated pleas to observe the process — and no mechanism to enforce the agreement. That has been a problem with other deals reached during the conflict.Troubles carrying out the accord were not surprising, as there was no international monitoring — United Nations officials said the Syrian government had refused their repeated pleas to observe the process — and no mechanism to enforce the agreement. That has been a problem with other deals reached during the conflict.
At the United Nations on Tuesday, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said there had been “credible reports” of atrocities, including extrajudicial killings, while eastern Aleppo was retaken.At the United Nations on Tuesday, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said there had been “credible reports” of atrocities, including extrajudicial killings, while eastern Aleppo was retaken.
Mr. Ban said the world body had been unable to verify the reports, however, because the Syrian government had repeatedly denied United Nations staff members the access required to monitor the evacuations and to aid civilians.Mr. Ban said the world body had been unable to verify the reports, however, because the Syrian government had repeatedly denied United Nations staff members the access required to monitor the evacuations and to aid civilians.
“As the battle for Aleppo concludes, I call on the Syrian authorities and their allies, Russia and Iran, to honor their obligations under international humanitarian law and do the following: urgently allow the remaining civilians to escape the area and facilitate access for all humanitarian actors and the delivery of critically important assistance,” he said. “The laws of war and universal human rights must be respected.”“As the battle for Aleppo concludes, I call on the Syrian authorities and their allies, Russia and Iran, to honor their obligations under international humanitarian law and do the following: urgently allow the remaining civilians to escape the area and facilitate access for all humanitarian actors and the delivery of critically important assistance,” he said. “The laws of war and universal human rights must be respected.”
Samantha Power, the United States ambassador to the United Nations, directed her remarks at officials of Syria, Iran and Russia, asking on Tuesday, “Is there literally nothing that can shame you?”Samantha Power, the United States ambassador to the United Nations, directed her remarks at officials of Syria, Iran and Russia, asking on Tuesday, “Is there literally nothing that can shame you?”
Her Russian counterpart, Vitaly I. Churkin, retorted that Ms. Power spoke as if she were Mother Teresa. He said that Russia had investigated claims of “ill treatment” of civilians and had found “not a single fact.”Her Russian counterpart, Vitaly I. Churkin, retorted that Ms. Power spoke as if she were Mother Teresa. He said that Russia had investigated claims of “ill treatment” of civilians and had found “not a single fact.”
In eastern Aleppo, residents expressed alarmed as Russian news agencies broadcast remarks from the Russian foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, who said he expected the rebels to “stop their resistance within two, three days.” Those remarks alarmed observers, as the evacuation deal says rebels had already agreed to stop fighting in exchange for being allowed to leave. In eastern Aleppo, residents expressed alarm as Russian news agencies broadcast remarks from the Russian foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, who said he expected the rebels to “stop their resistance within two, three days.” Those remarks concerned observers, as the evacuation deal says rebels had already agreed to stop fighting in exchange for being allowed to leave.
“They are planning to slaughter us all,” said Monther Etaky, a civilian activist who said he had been hoping to evacuate.“They are planning to slaughter us all,” said Monther Etaky, a civilian activist who said he had been hoping to evacuate.
Salem, a dentist who had kept his clinic open until last week, and who finally moved to one of the last rebel neighborhoods when his own was taken by government forces, said he could hear heavy shelling.Salem, a dentist who had kept his clinic open until last week, and who finally moved to one of the last rebel neighborhoods when his own was taken by government forces, said he could hear heavy shelling.
“We slept a quiet night, but sadly the shelling is back,” he said Wednesday morning, asking to be identified only by his first name. “Please share my message: The cease-fire collapsed. The situation is bad again.”“We slept a quiet night, but sadly the shelling is back,” he said Wednesday morning, asking to be identified only by his first name. “Please share my message: The cease-fire collapsed. The situation is bad again.”
The evacuation plan came after two weeks of rapid advances by the Syrian Army and its allies, who drove insurgents into an ever-smaller pocket of eastern Aleppo, with support from heavy airstrikes and artillery fire.The evacuation plan came after two weeks of rapid advances by the Syrian Army and its allies, who drove insurgents into an ever-smaller pocket of eastern Aleppo, with support from heavy airstrikes and artillery fire.
Rebel groups have received support from Turkey, the United States and Persian Gulf states, but far less than the direct military aid that Iran and Russia have provided to Mr. Assad.Rebel groups have received support from Turkey, the United States and Persian Gulf states, but far less than the direct military aid that Iran and Russia have provided to Mr. Assad.