The Syrian Civil War has devastated parts of the country, including Aleppo. The war involves the Islamic State, the Syrian government and multiple Syrian rebel groups. At least 10 people were killed in an alleged rebel rocket attack carried out in Aleppo's Salaheddine district on Wednesday. File Photo by Ameer Alhalbi/UPI |
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ALEPPO, Syria, Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Syrian state-run media reports a rocket attack by rebel groups in Aleppo killed at least 10 civilians and injured 16 on Wednesday after the United Nations warned of a "humanitarian catastrophe."
The rocket attack happened in Aleppo's Salaheddine district, according to SANA -- Syria's state-run news agency. Aleppo is split between the government-held western districts and the rebel-held eastern districts, where fighting has intensified in recent weeks.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports there were airstrikes in several areas of Aleppo, and that rebel shelling targeted the Salaheddine district.
"Clashes took place between regime forces and rebels around the area of ... southwest of Aleppo, reports of losses in both sides," the organization said in a statement.
The United States, Germany and the United Nations are calling on the Syrian government and Russia to allow humanitarian aid to reach Aleppo residents. Nearly 400 people have died in Aleppo in the past month.
"The Syrian president and its partner Russia mustn't refuse these humanitarian minimum requirements," Steffen Seibert, an aide to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said Monday. "They bear the main responsibility for it. It's foremost their decision whether the dying will continue in Aleppo or whether the inhabitants there will get help and hope after months of suffering."
Up to 275,000 people remain trapped in east Aleppo since early July when the last remaining access route to the area was closed. On Aug. 6, the main access route into west Aleppo was cut off -- meaning more than 2 million people are now trapped in the besieged city, the United Nations recently said.
