UN Envoy for Syria Shocked by Rebels' Attacks on Residential Areas in Aleppo

The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said Sunday that he was appalled and shocked by the high number of rocket attacks launched by Syrian rebels on civilians in western Aleppo in the last 48 hours.

GENEVA (Sputnik) — Militants have been shelling residential areas in western and central parts of Aleppo since Friday. According to medical workers, at least 15 people were killed and 150 wounded.

"Those who argue that this is meant to relieve the siege of eastern Aleppo should be reminded that nothing justifies the use of disproportionate and indiscriminate weapons, including heavy ones, on civilian areas and it could amount to war crimes," de Mistura said in a statement.

"The civilians of both sides of Aleppo have suffered enough due to futile but lethal attempts of subduing the city of Aleppo," de Mistura said, adding that the citizens of the Syrian city need ceasefire.

On October 20, a humanitarian pause was introduced in the embattled city of Aleppo to ensure the safe evacuation of civilians from eastern Aleppo via eight designated corridors. During the humanitarian pause, al-Nusra Front terrorist group, recently renamed as Jabhat Fatah al Sham, prevented civilians from fleeing the city by threats, shellings and executions. As the evacuation failed and the humanitarian pause ended, the Syrian government launched an offensive against the militants.

On Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russian President Vladimir Putin believes the humanitarian pause in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo needs to be extended.