I am keeping this brief so we can focus on action. Assad’s forces have control of eastern Aleppo and are reportedly shooting remaining civilians on site, doctors have been killed, residents are being shot in their homes… Rebel forces say a cease fire has been reached; the government has not confirmed, but Twitter is showing us the danger continues.
I have never gotten over what we allowed to happen in Rwanda, from a shameful and shameless distance. But now social media is allowing these last remaining Syrians to live stream what is happening to them, and it is horrific. They have begun posting goodbye videos as they await certain death in the hours or days ahead.
Please, contact your elected officials, whatever country you live in, and demand that we save these civilians. We must turn up all possible heat.
Contact info for the U.S. Congress is two clicks away. Please call and leave messages or speak to someone tomorrow; don’t send a written message, as it will take longer to process.
Please, we must act until we are CERTAIN that civilians are safe and evacuated.
Wednesday, Dec 14, 2016 · 6:00:48 AM +00:00
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dmitcha
Additional reminders to apply pressure until we are CERTAIN civilians have been evacuated.
BBC: Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin,...said an arrangement had been made for rebel fighters to leave. The rebels confirmed the deal, but said civilians would also be allowed to leave.
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Word of the deal came as the UN reported summary killings by pro-government forces.
It said it had reliable evidence that in four areas 82 civilians were killed, adding that many more may have died.
USA Today: The U.N. later called for immediate access to eastern Aleppo to confirm that Russia stopped military operations and to monitor the evacuation. [waiting for this]
Business Insider: The UN's envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said in a press conference on Tuesday that the process to evacuate civilians from the city had already begun.
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The cease-fire deal came amid reports that pro-government forces, including regime troops and Shiite militias backed by Iran — another Assad ally — had summarily executed dozens of civilians, including women and children, as they moved to clear rebel-held areas of Aleppo on Monday.
Many of the civilians executed by pro-government forces were injured and awaiting treatment in the city's makeshift medical facilities, reports from the scene said. Others were trying to flee their homes.
It's "a complete meltdown of humanity," United Nations humanitarian spokesman Jens Laerke said.
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Civilians trying to flee their homes were also being shot in the street by pro-Assad forces, said Laerke, the UN humanitarian spokesman.