Syrian attack on Idlib Hospital kills hospitalized newborn babies
Washington DC- Several medical facilities have been attacked and put out of service since Sunday, causing newborn babies to temporarily suffocate as their incubators lost power.The attacks left thousands with no access to medical care, as Idlib experienced fierce bombardment, including a reported chlorine gas attack.
This morning at 9 a.m. Damascus time the Kafr Nabol Surgical Hospital in Idlib, was attacked by three air strikes causing major damage and putting it out of service. Several were injured including a technician and patients. The hospital had 5000 beneficiaries and performed approximately 100 surgical operations per month.
Last night at 9 p.m. Damascus time, the Maarat Al Nouman Central Hospital in Idlib, was attacked by four airstrikes, paralyzing the hospital that was filled with patients, and putting it out of service. Several newborn babies were suffocating from the attack after their incubators lost power. The hospital provided services to approximately 10,000 beneficiaries and provided 400 surgeries a month.
Kafr Nabol Surgical Hospital Attack in Syria. Photo courtesy of Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations
Later that night, the Tal Mardeekh Healthcare Center in Idlib, was attacked and put out of service.
In addition, there was a reported chemical attack in Saraqeb, Idlib at 10 p.m. Damascus time, 17 people were injured including three members of the Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets). Victims at the medical facility reported symptoms consistent with the choking agent chlorine gas, including suffocation and the smell of chlorine on their clothes. No fatalities were reported.
According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) seven medical staff were killed, and 30 medical facilities, including nine ambulances were attacked throughout Syria in January 2018.
02-08-18 Idlib Hospital incubators in Syria after Syrian bombings of the hospital. Photo courtesy of the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations
Kathleen Rowan, CEO of UOSSM USA said, “As people around the world were enjoying the Super Bowl, Syrian children and their families were suffocating by hospital and chemical attacks. Do these children not deserve the right to breathe? To live without fear? To see those newborn babies stacked on one bed is unconscionable and should shake whomever sees that image to their core. This must stop now! Attacks on hospitals is a clear crime of war and perpetrators must be held accountable for their actions.”
Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.
Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).
Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.
Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.
His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.
Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.
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