Attacks on western Aleppo may constitute war crimes: UN human rights body

More than 30 civilians, including at least 10 children, were killed on Oct. 29 and 30 as a result of attacks on government-held western Aleppo, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) warned Tuesday.

"Such high numbers of civilian casualties suggest that armed opposition groups are failing to adhere to the fundamental prohibition under international humanitarian law on the launching of indiscriminate attacks, and the principles of precaution and proportionality," OHCHR spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said in a statement.

"The reported use of ground-based missiles along with the use of armoured vehicles loaded with explosives used in an area containing more than one million civilian inhabitants is completely unacceptable and may constitute war crimes," she added.

According to reports, opposition factions who control eastern districts of the city struck the neighbourhoods of Salah al-Din, al-Shahbaa, al-Zahraa and al-Hamadaniya with mortars, rockets and other improvised explosive devices (IEDS).

At the same time, reports show that the Syrian government and its allies are continuing to shell eastern Aleppo, though no airstrikes have been reported since Oct. 23.

"While there have not been airstrikes since that time, we remain concerned about 250,000 civilians at risk in this area should they resume," she cautioned.

Divided in two since 2012 and once Syria's economic hub, Aleppo has been the scene of intense fighting pitching forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against rebel factions seeking to oust him. Endit