Riyadh — Saudi Arabia condemned and denounced the attacks by Basher Al-Assad’s forces on the city of Aleppo, causing the destruction of a hospital run by an international organization that killed dozens, including children and doctors.
An official source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the terrorist act ignores the cessation of hostilities agreement and is contrary to international laws and ethical principles of humanity.
The attacks seek to prevent the supply of humanitarian assistance to the affected people and preempt international efforts to reach a political solution to the crisis, the source said.
The tyrant of Damascus, Bashar Al-Assad, by committing this criminal act underlines the lack of seriousness in responding to the demands of the international community.
Assad also proved that he is not serious in solving the Syrian crisis peacefully in accordance with the principles of the Geneva 1 and UN Security Council Resolution 2254, the source commented.
Saudi Arabia called on the international community and allies of Bashar Al-Assad, who have committed to the cessation of hostilities, to take necessary measures to stop these attacks and all crimes committed by Assad and his aides against the Syrian people.
At least 20 air strikes hit areas of Syria’s northern city of Aleppo on Saturday, in the ninth straight day of violence, a monitoring group said.
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights did not immediately say whether Syrian government warplanes or Russian jets, which have been supporting Damascus, carried out the strikes.
Bombing by the government side on rebel-held areas of Aleppo since April 22 have killed 140 people including 19 children, the Observatory said.
The surge in violence has caused the collapse of a two-month ceasefire brokered by the US and Russia.
It also has raised fears of an all-out government assault on Aleppo and warnings of a humanitarian disaster in the 5-year-old civil war.
The United States also on Saturday demanded that Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad’s forces halt their bombardment of the city of Aleppo and help restore a nationwide ceasefire.
In calls to the UN peace envoy for Syria and to the lead opposition negotiator, US Secretary of State John Kerry said the priority was “a durable, nationwide cessation”. With the peace process hanging by a thread, Mr Kerry was to fly to Geneva on Sunday for talks with UN envoy Staffan de Mistura and the Saudi and Jordanian foreign ministers.
Once Syria’s economic hub, Aleppo has suffered some of the worst fighting in a conflict that has killed more than 270,000 people and displaced millions.

Source: Saudi Gazette, AFP, 1 May 2016