53 civilians killed by regime shelling in Syria

By Halit Suleyman, Ayse Aktas

ALEPPO, Syria (AA) - At least 53 civilians were killed Tuesday in regime attacks in the northwestern city of Aleppo, according to a civil defense official who spoke to Anadolu Agency.

Necip Ensari, who operates in the city, said 200 other civilians were injured in the attacks.

A total of 828 civilians have been killed in regime attacks in the area since mid-November, according to figures released by local civil defense officials.

The fierce bombardments have forced hospitals and other medical facilities in the war-battered city to cease operations while most academic activities have been completely halted.

The stepped-up attacks come within the context of attempts by the Russia-backed Bashar al-Assad regime and its allies to wrest control of eastern parts of the city four years after they were captured by armed opposition groups.

Syria has been locked in a devastating civil war since early 2011, when the Bashar al-Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests -- which erupted as part of the "Arab Spring" uprisings -- with unexpected ferocity.

Since then, hundreds of thousands of people are believed to have been killed and millions more displaced by the conflict.