More than 80 people were killed and scores were wounded in a deadly attack on the the first day of the exams at the University of Aleppo in Syria.
Reports say two explosions destroyed the front of a six-storey building of the university. Most of the dead were reportedly students.
Both Bashar al-Assad’s regime and rebels were pointing fingers at each other for the deadly blasts at the University of Aleppo.
In a press statement in Washington DC, Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland says the United States is appalled by the Syrian regime’s deadly attack yesterday near the University of Aleppo, which reportedly killed more than 80 people and injured more than 150 people.
“According to eyewitnesses at the scene, regime planes launched aerial strikes in the vicinity of university facilities.” – Ms.Nuland
She says the US government understands most of the victims of this tragedy were students and internally displaced people who had been housed at the university.
The US condemns any attack on unarmed civilians and continue to emphasize that those responsible for unlawful killings and other violations of international law will be identified and held accountable.
“Our sympathies and condolences go out to all those devastated by this senseless tragedy, which is only the latest in a long stream of losses inflicted by the Assad regime on its own people.” – Ms. Nuland
Earlier this month, as Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad recently delivered a speech to his supporters in Damascus on Sunday, the United States of America said al-Asad’s speech is yet another attempt by the regime to cling to power and it does nothing to advance the Syrian people’s goal of a political transition.
The US said Assad’s initiative is detached from reality, undermines the efforts of Joint Special Representative Lakhdar Brahimi, and would only allow the regime to further perpetuate its bloody oppression of the Syrian people.
As Asad speaks of dialogue, the regime is deliberately stoking sectarian tensions and continuing to kill its own people.
The United States continues to support the Geneva Action Group’s framework for a political solution, which was endorsed by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, the Arab League, and the UN General Assembly.
The US government will continue its efforts in support of Joint Special Representative Brahimi to build international unity behind it.
Reports say Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has outlined a new peace initiative that included a national reconciliation conference and a new constitution in a rare speech about the uprising against his regime.
Some of his foes slammed his speech with criticism.
More than 2.5 million people across the Middle Eastern country are affected by the violence.
In June 2012, with growing influx of civilians fleeing from conflict, UN reported that humanitarian situation in Syria continues to deteriorate.
The ongoing conflict in Syria has created a severe and growing humanitarian crisis, and the humanitarian organizations currently operating in Syria are tirelessly working to get aid out as quickly as possible into areas where safety and security are questionable.
The violence in Syria, which began in March 2011 as a protest movement similar to those witnessed across the Middle East and North Africa, has claimed over 60, 000 lives, mostly civilians, and displaced tens of thousands.
