#StandWithAleppo #StandWithSyria

On Sunday 6th November 2016 at 4pm Aleppo time, the world united to #StandWithAleppo to show solidarity with civilians still living in Eastern Aleppo and, via Periscope, a direct contact with these same citizens. It was also intended to draw attention to the possible media blackout should the regime and Russian air forces launch an all-out attack on Aleppo just prior to the American elections.

On Friday 4th November, Russia had announced an ultimatum to civilians and rebels inside Aleppo to evacuate the city by 19:00 Aleppo time or face military escalation. According to Russia, it was a “goodwill message” offering “humanitarian corridors” allowing civilians who wished to leave and the evacuation of severely injured or ill patients.

The sky was full of leaflets launched on the local population – Russia’s intent was obvious.

#StandwithAleppo Worldwide campaign phone/email Russian embassy to demand Russia stop bombing Syrian civilians pic.twitter.com/35EO1okkbH — Grannies4Equality (@grannies4equal) November 6, 2016

Twitter profile pics took on a red hue responding to British Syrian activist Rami Jarrah’s demand to show unity by asking #WhatCeaseFire and a #nobombzone

It was a highly emotional moment – as young 7 year old Bana, with her mother Fatemah, has come to embody Aleppo civilian resistance for the outside world with her 81,6 k followers on https://twitter.com/Alabedbana as she communicates on her daily life, and trepidations, as the bombs fall and she can’t go to school or buy sweets anymore.

I think my childhood is stolen by the war but I fight for my childhood again under the bombings. – Bana #Aleppo pic.twitter.com/OOOrZO5c4X — Bana Alabed (@AlabedBana) November 7, 2016

On Periscope she describes her life and how she wants to go to school.

https://www.periscope.tv/w/1OwxWrPNNBRJQ

A memorable visit to Old Aleppo where there is no electricity with East Aleppo residents like Mr. AbdulKafi Al Hamdo whose face has become familiar to us thanks to Periscope. https://twitter.com/Mr_Alhamdo

https://www.periscope.tv/w/1lPKqYZMMlbKb

Dr Zaher Sahloul from SAMS USA who has done so much for Aleppo describes the dire conditions in Aleppo after 4 months of siege.https://twitter.com/sahloul

East Aleppo today: « No food, no fruits, no vegetables, no baby milk, no cooking gas, no heating, no electricity, no medecine. » And winter is here!

Mr. Fadel Abdul Ghani Chairman and founder of the Syrian Network for Human Rights https://twitter.com/snhr adds his description of East Aleppo via Periscope. He describes the effects of heavy shelling and airstrikes on children in what would seem to be the deliberate targeting of children and schools. He noted the Shia militias on the ground committing war crimes too.

https://www.periscope.tv/w/1ynKOkWlVEWKR

Dr. Farida also sent some reports directly from a hospital in East Aleppo where she discusses the lack of baby milk mothers who are unable to breast feed their babies.

It should be noted that in besieged Madaya, studies have shown that many 3 year old children, suffering from malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies, have no teeth yet and are unable to walk.

Eastern Aleppo, with approximately 250,000 civilians still living there, is totally besieged to this day by the Bashar al Assad regime aided and abetted by the Kurd YPG for the last four months when the Castello Road, which had allowed contacts with Turkey, was seized by the regime. For a short period, a rebel offensive succeeded in breaking the siege permitting fresh food from Idlib and a few convoys with humanitarian aid from Turkey, Qatar and other countries who, despite the danger, managed to get in. It was short-lived as Russia and Syrian warplanes pummeled the Ramouseh corridor.

Ismail Alabdullah takes you through historical Aleppo – his beloved town.

Much of the the old city of #Aleppo reduced to rubble.

Watch & share this story.@SyriaCivilDef pic.twitter.com/QpVfmIA8CD — Ismail Alabdullah (@ishmael12345611) October 22, 2016

Eastern Aleppo, a town destroyed and devastated that has been compared with Grozny, where the siege and bombardment have been likened to a “slaughterhouse” by UN’s Ban Ki Moon that he described where “crimes of historic proportions” were perpetrated with its mass civilian casualties and the use, by both Assad and Putin, of prohibited weapons.

However, civilians have very little confidence in Russia’s intentions where their schools, hospitals, market places and residential areas have been targeted. Many refuse to leave their homes, their land knowing the regime intends carrying out more ethnic cleansing by bringing in Shia Iranians.

Among those besieged in Eastern Aleppo are those who keep the city going. Aleppo could be proud of its once thriving grassroots society trying to adapt today to an ever worsening situation. One of the leading figures is Brita Hagi Hasan, the President of the Local Council of Aleppo City, who is on the World Mayor shortlist, faced with a daunting task every day. https://twitter.com/BritaHagihasan

The White Helmets in Aleppo https://twitter.com/scd_aleppo constantly targeted by double tap air strikes, persist in their efforts to save others while putting their own lives in danger. And where would Aleppo be without those brave doctors, nurses knowing they too have become targets as both Russia and the Regime ignore UN Resolutions and the Geneva Conventions destroying hospitals. Teachers brave bombs to make sure children in Aleppo get at least a minimum of education and the activists who go out of their way building underground playgrounds.

#StandWithAleppo #StandWithSyria