Medical staff in east Aleppo fear being killed by pro-Assad forces

Medical personnel in the besieged areas of east Aleppo could be tortured or killed by pro-Assad forces for treating rebel fighters and civilians, according to a Guardian report on Tuesday.

“Doctors have been targeted since the beginning of the crisis for doing their medical duty. Those who chose to stay in Aleppo, the heart of the opposition, are at severe risk in government areas,” said Dr Zaher Sahloul, a doctor who has worked in Aleppo and is the former president of the Syrian American Medical Society.

“Many of the doctors refused to leave when they could, because they said, ‘Who will take care of the civilians if we leave,'” he said. “Now we have tried to work with the Russian, US and Turkish governments to see if they can be evacuated with the injured to other rebel-held areas, where they will feel safe.”