One square-mile is the only territory that remains at stake in the battle for Aleppo, but for that prize, the Syrian government and its allies are displacing tens of thousands of civilians, who now risk abduction, assault or even death after months of living under a brutal siege, aid groups say.
The fighting to control what was once Syria’s economic center has horrified many around the world, even as members of the U.N. Security Council have been unable to negotiate more than fleeting cease-fires. International NGOs condemned combatants and the international community alike for the heavy toll on the civilian population.
“The warring parties are ultimately responsible for civilian deaths and suffering. But the international community, in particular the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, also bear a grave responsibility for what is happening in Aleppo,” Nick Finney, Save the Children’s North-West Syria country director, said in a statement.
About the author
Elizabeth Dickinson@dickinsonbeth
Elizabeth Dickinson is a former associate editor at Devex. Based in the Middle East, she has previously served as Gulf correspondent for The National, assistant managing editor at Foreign Policy, and Nigeria correspondent at The Economist. Her writing also appeared in The New Yorker, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Politico Magazine, and Newsweek, among others.