Situation in Aleppo “catastrophic.”

The UN are calling the situation in Syria’s city of Aleppo “catastrophic”, after dozens of people were killed in government attacks on targets including a hospital.

The attacks on 28th April came within hours of an air strike on a hospital supported by Doctors Without Borders (MSF), which killed 27 people, including Dr Wasem Maaz, the last remaining paediatrician in the rebel-held part of the city.

Sources told Al Jazeera that government warplanes have carried out at least 40 air strikes since the attack on the hospital, killing at least 30 people, including at least six children and three women.

The violence comes amid a breakdown in truce talks between the government and opposition representatives in Geneva.

The High Negotiations Committee (HNC), which is representing the opposition at the peace talks, have threatened to boycott the next round of talks unless the government stops its bombing campaign.

The HNC left formal negotiations last week, saying that it needed a “pause” after at least 40,000 people fled fighting near Aleppo.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors casualties caused by the war, said 200 people, including 50 women and children, had been killed since an escalation in government assaults on Aleppo since last Friday.

Speaking to Al Jazeera from Damascus, Pawel Krzysiek, a spokesman for the Red Cross, said: “There is no neighbourhood [in Aleppo] that has not been touched by the recent fighting. This should not happen,” he said, adding that the number of medical facilities left in the city was, already, not sufficient to handle the more than two million people in the city.

• Pray for Syria. Pray for a halt to the air strikes, for the ceasefire to hold in all areas, and for healing and peace for the people of this nation.
• Pray for those affected by the latest air strikes, with the loss of another hospital, a much need doctor, and so many people injured or killed. Pray for those grieving the loss of loved ones, that they will find comfort and healing in Jesus Christ.
• Pray for medical and food aid to reach those who need it in Aleppo and other part of Syria.
• Pray that the peace talks will continue, for respect for the ceasefire from all sides and for a genuine desire for peace.
• Pray for protection for Syria’s Christian population, who are often the targets of air strikes. Pray that those Christians remaining in Syria will remain strong in faith, and be a witness of hope and peace to their hurting communities.

Amos 9 vs 14: “I will restore the fortunes of my people … and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit.”

Source: http://www.aljazeera.com/news, http://www.bbc.com/news