White House condemns 'heinous' Russian and Syrian bombings of Aleppo hospitals

The United States on Saturday forcefully censured a new round of Russian and Syrian airstrikes that closed all hospitals in the besieged, rebel-held area of eastern Aleppo, Syria. "The United States condemns in the strongest terms these horrific attacks against medical infrastructure and humanitarian aid workers," said Susan Rice, White House national security adviser. "There is no excuse for these heinous actions."

The statement demanded "the immediate cessation of these bombardments," asking Russia to facilitate humanitarian aid to civilians in the decimated city. "The Syrian regime and its allies, Russia in particular, bears responsibility for the immediate and long term consequences these actions have caused in Syria and beyond," Rice charged.

The final functioning hospital facilities were hit in airstrikes launched Friday that also killed more than 150 people. "[F]ive hospitals bombed, and imagine the conditions under which human beings live — it is just unbearable," said United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson of the news. "I can only underline it is a hugely critical situation."

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