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Aleppo Is a ‘Slaughterhouse,’ Says U.N. Official Seeking War Crimes Inquiry

The top United Nations human rights official on Friday called the weekslong bombardment and siege of Aleppo “crimes of historic proportions” that had turned the ancient Syrian city into a “slaughterhouse.” As a “humanitarian pause” in attacks, declared unilaterally by Russia, entered a second day — and as residents of the besieged rebel-held eastern side […]

The top United Nations human rights official on Friday called the weekslong bombardment and siege of Aleppo “crimes of historic proportions” that had turned the ancient Syrian city into a “slaughterhouse.”

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As a “humanitarian pause” in attacks, declared unilaterally by Russia, entered a second day — and as residents of the besieged rebel-held eastern side of the city continued to enjoy a respite from the Syrian and Russian airstrikes that have devastated the area — the United Nations official, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, called for a war crimes investigation.

The comments by Mr. al-Hussein, the high commissioner for human rights, came in a videotaped statement at the opening of a special session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

The 47-member council looked set to adopt a resolution calling for a United Nations commission investigating human rights developments in Syria to identify those responsible for war crimes and other violations in Aleppo.

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Image courtesy of Getty

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