Hospitals and Schools Targeted in Syria.

According to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, up to 50 people – including many children – were killed and dozens others wounded in bombing raids on two schools and five hospitals in separate locations in northern Syria.

Ban called the attacks “blatant violations of international laws” that “are further degrading an already devastated health care system and preventing access to education in Syria”.

The secretary-general said the attacks “cast a shadow on commitments” made by nations seeking to end the Syrian conflict at a conference in Munich on February 11, which included a cessation of hostilities within a week and an end to attacks on civilians.

He did not say who was responsible for Monday’s attacks, but some monitor groups suspect Russian raids.

The medical charity, Doctors Without Borders (MSF), said the suspected Russian air strikes hit a hospital in the town of Maaret al-Numan in Idlib province, northwest Syria.

“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,” said MSF Syria operations chief Massimiliano Rebaudengo.

In a separate incident, at least 14 people were killed and about 30 injured when air strikes and rocket artillery damaged parts of a hospital in the town of Azaz in Aleppo province, the media office at the rebel-controlled Aleppo local council said on Monday.

In the same raid, a school where refugees were sheltering was also hit.

• Pray for Syria, for an end to this conflict, and especially and end to the targeting of civilians, schools and hospitals.
• Pray for those affected by the recent air strikes, for comfort for those who have lost family and friends.
• Pray for the recently signed agreement to halt hostilities, that it will come into reality and that all sides aim for peace and restoration of this devastated land.
• Pray that the fears escalation in  hostilities will not eventuate.

Psalm 46 vs 9: “He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.”

Source: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016