Crisis Continues in Aleppo

Lizzie Quinlivan, Contributing Writer

Millions are trapped in the siege of Aleppo, Syria. The crossfire between rebels and the regime in Aleppo has resulted in dozens of deaths, and thousands of injuries. Syrian troops under Bashar al-Hassad now control half the city of Aleppo, and residents are trying to evacuate the country in order to find safety.

Prior to the Syrian Civil War, Aleppo was the most populated Syrian city. When the war broke out, many rebels against the war moved to Aleppo so they could be heard in protest.

In July, the regime created a blockade for supplies for the rebels, including assistance from other countries. Most of those who were affected by the blockade evacuated. The rebels who are still left in Aleppo are starving, sick, and injured, but do not have any help, so they continue to rebel for their cause.

On Wednesday, December 14, 12 civilians were killed and 64 were injured during fire from the rebels. Those who were hospitalized or forced to stay because of this attack are lacking resources and hope to make it to safety eventually. “We’ve been deprived of food — the amount of bread we were being given wasn’t enough to feed my family. My vision has been affected by the lack of food” said a man before he evacuated with his family.

Airstrikes and shelling have been terrorizing Aleppo in the past week. An activist said that the regime “was able to capture the neighborhood of Tareeq al-Bab after capturing al-Muwasalt neighborhood, as well as al-Shaar, Karm al-Jabal and several neighborhoods in the old city of Aleppo such as Bab al-Hadeed, Agheour, Bab al-Nasser, al-Bayada and Qadi Askar” in the past few days. The rebel group urges citizens to flee Aleppo if they do not want to be part of the rebelling group.

American airstrikes to prevent further damage and destruction in Aleppo would have done more harm than good, and possibly make things even worse. Russia and the regime have been working together, and if America got involved, Aleppo would completely destruct.

The regime in Aleppo is killing and forcing citizens to move out. It has been confirmed that the hundreds of thousands killed in Aleppo is the worst mass killing since the genocide in Darfur.