Aleppo hit by 'heaviest bombardment' since war began

The sixth straight day of bombing by Syrian regime forces over the eastern Aleppo on Sunday brought the death toll to almost 300, to which the rescuers say is the most intense bombing since the war began five years ago.

According to the Syrian Civil Defense, also known as White Helmets, at least 289 people were killed till Saturday as the Syrian regime resumed heavy bombardment over eastern Aleppo on Tuesday after keeping calm for three weeks.

"This is the heaviest bombardment I have seen in the past five years," CNN quoted Ismail Abdallah from the White Helmets as saying.

Director of the Syrian American Medical Society's Turkey office, Dr. Mazen Kewara said, "For the first time, eastern Aleppo is out of hospitals operating at full capacity."

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the assault and "indiscriminate shelling" for killing and injuring civilians including children.

The statement said, "the secretary-general reminds all parties to the conflict that targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure is a war crime."

"Those responsible for these and other atrocities in Syria, whoever and wherever they are, must one day be brought to account," the statement added.

Aleppo has been devastated by the Syria's grinding five-year conflict between the government-controlled areas in the west and rebel positions in the east.

The United Nations has announced a detailed humanitarian plan to provide assistance and medical evacuations from Syria and said that this plan has been shared with all parties in the conflict, as well as its member states.