War
Crimes
A hospital
run by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in northwestern Syria was
flattened by airstrikes on Monday, killing at least nine people,
including a child, according to reports Monday.
The hospital
was situated in the town of Maaret al-Numan in Idlib province, which
has been a target for airstrikes over the past week.
A spokesman
for the Syria Civil Defense in Idlib confirmed that the hospital was
hit, but said four people were killed.
"At
least four people have been killed while several others have been
injured. We expect the death toll to rise. There are doctors and MSF
staff missing," Radi said, without stating his full name.
Local
reports suggest at least 13 people were wounded in the strikes and
rescue workers are currently trying to free several people stuck in
the hospital’s rubble.
"Extreme
damage has been caused to the hospital. Six floors have been almost
reduced to rubble. This hospital is located in an area previously
surrounded by restaurants and has no rebel strongholds. It has been
functioning for over a year now," Radi said.
MSF
condemned the attack in a report released on Monday.
"This
appears to be a deliberate attack on a health structure, and we
condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms," said
Massimiliano Rebaudengo, MSF’s Head of Mission. "The
destruction of the hospital leaves the local population of around
40,000 people without access to medical services in an active zone of
conflict."
MSF said the
hospital was hit by four missiles in two separate attacks that were
in a few minutes of each other.
The hospital
had 54 staff and 30 beds and financed by the medical charity.
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