EDUCATION ABOVE ALL CONDEMNS ATTACKS ON CHILDREN AND SCHOOLS IN SYRIA

Syrian government forces sent a text message to residents of east Aleppo prior to the attack, demanding they leave the area within 24 hours or risk their lives. Initial reports suggest at least 15 civilian casualties, including children. These deaths are in addition to nine killed by Russian airstrikes in the suburbs of Idlib and another casualty of airstrikes on three hospitals in western Aleppo. These strikes are the latest in an ongoing offensive that has relentlessly targeted Idlib, including a strike on a school that killed 22 children late last month.

Education Above All Foundation, through its legal advocacy program PEIC, condemns the attacks on all civilians and local infrastructure - particularly the targeting of children, teachers and schools - in the strongest terms. It calls on the international community to act to hold those responsible to account.

Speaking on behalf of EAA and its PEIC program, Professor Maleiha Malik said:

“The ongoing bombardment of Idlib and Aleppo constitutes a deliberate attack on civilians and their local civilian infrastructure including schools. These strikes kill children, their parents, their teachers and their friends, as well causing further debilitating damage to these cities. The fear and insecurity caused by these deliberate acts make it impossible for those continuing to live in areas under attack to get the education they so desperately need to build a better future for themselves, their families, their communities and their country.

“The international community must stand firm and condemn in the strongest possible terms this atrocious targeting of children – the most vulnerable victims of war. Effort must also be made to ensure those attacking places of learning are held accountable for their actions and, where it can be shown these targets are deliberately chosen, perpetrators should be tried for crimes of war.”