The United Nations said on Tuesday it had reports that Syrian government troops and an allied Iraqi militia had deliberately shot dead scores of men, women and children in eastern Aleppo, and warned the same "slaughter" could happen elsewhere.
The UN human rights office cited reports that at least 82 people had been killed on the streets while fleeing or in their homes in four different neighbourhoods in the last few days.
The crushing of Aleppo, the immeasurably terrifying toll on its people, the bloodshed, the wanton slaughter of men, women and children, the destruction – and we are nowhere near the end of this cruel conflict.Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
The Syrian army and its allies have taken full control of all the districts of Aleppo that have been abandoned by rebels during their retreat in the city, a Syrian military source said on Tuesday.
'Waiting to Die': Syrians in Aleppo Post ‘Final’ Messages
Syrians in Aleppo – or at least those who have managed to survive – are posting their ‘final’ messages on social media. Many of them feel defeated and are certain that they won’t survive the parade of bullets piercing their lives and homes, with the Assad regime closing in.
Photographer Ameen Al-Halabi wrote on Facebook:
I’m waiting for death or captivity by the Assad regime. Please pray for me and remember me… (sic)
American video journalist Bilal Abdul Kareem tweeted out a message saying things were getting worse in East Aleppo, and this could possibly be his last message. In the backdrop, one can hear the loud thuds of constant shelling.
“Every bomb is a new massacre, save Aleppo, save humanity”, Lina Shamy said in what could be her final message.
Demands for Monitoring
Kareem also said the Muslim nations had led Aleppo down. “You really blew it,” he said with disdain.
The international community is now calling on the United Nations to use all its mechanisms to determine what was happening in Aleppo.
The failure of the Security Council to at least involve the International Criminal Court and have some kind of judicial process has been absolutely disastrous. Because the people behind these kind of acts think they have total impunity to do what they want.Rupert Colville, Spokesman to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
But for the 82 or so people reportedly slain, it might already be too late.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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