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Hundreds of Syrians and Canadians of Syrian descent gathered on the steps of the Alberta Legislature Saturday to ask the Canadian government to help those left behind in their homeland.

“Too many people are dying, too many children are dying and we’re too quiet about this,” Julie Kamal, with Edmonton Refugee Volunteers, said. “This has been going on for too long and we need this to stop and we need to stop it now.” Tweet This

Some carried signs that declared ‘Edmonton stands with Aleppo,’ while others chanted ‘silence is a crime.’

“People are dying every single day,” she added. “We go on with our days and we don’t know that on the other side of the world this is going on and it continues to happen.”

The group is asking the Trudeau government to take action.

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READ MORE: ‘The situation with Aleppo is now terrible’: Leader of Syrian rescue group urges action

“We thank Canada, we thank everything because they bring these people to a safe area, but at the same time the main thing is to stop the bleeding,” Najiv Zakour said. Tweet This

The crisis in Syria is into its sixth year.

The United Nations estimates 13.5 million people are in need of humanitarian aid.

On Friday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon voiced concern that the carnage in Syria “remains a gaping hole in the global conscience.”

A ceasefire, which was supposed to last through the weekend, ended abruptly Saturday morning when gunfire rang out as civilians evacuated eastern Aleppo.

READ MORE: UN Security Council to vote on resolution for Aleppo evacuation

The ceasefire was supposed to allow people to leave the last rebel-held enclaves of the besieged city.

“We hope that Canada will do something,” Taher Istabouly said. “Not only to help bring refugees, {but} to stop bleeding back home- to push the international community to take action.” Tweet This

Children and youth comprise a significant portion of the displaced.

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“When you silent, the killing continues,” Rawad Almasalma said, a child himself. “Please speak up. If you love your children, remember the children of Syria.” Tweet This

Kamal asked Edmontonians to get behind the cause and related the war-torn city to other developed economic centres.

“It was a commercial centre and it was a very busy place and people there were living very well,” she said. “If we imagine any city in the world that is successful and people are doing well and all of a sudden it’s rubble – that cannot be normal.”

“We need to speak up, we need to talk to our politicians and let them know they can put more pressure on the global community to stop.” Tweet This

with files from Shallima Maharaj Tweet This

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