IRC denounces attack on Syrian hospital

Beirut: The International Rescue Committee on Sunday condemned the shelling the previous day on the Syrian city of Afrin that put a hospital out of service and killed civilians and medical staff.

Saturday’s attack on the rebel-held northern town killed at least 21 people, mostly in shelling on the hospital, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor.

"We utterly condemn this deadly attack on Al-Shifaa Hospital, one of the largest medical facilities in northern Syria," said IRC’s Syria director Wolfgang Gressmann. "This is the 11th attack on health care that has been recorded so far this year, and brings the total number of verified attacks on health care since January 2019 to 124." Of the 21 killed, 17 were civilians, including at least 4 hospital staff members, the Observatory said, adding that 23 people were also wounded. The IRC said the attack completely destroyed the emergency room and the labour and delivery room.