Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on whether the Assad government’s military is targeting medical facilities in opposition-held territory in Syria.

Mr Philip Hammond

In April, the UN Secretary General reported to the UN Security Council that only 40% of medical facilities in Syria remained functioning, and most of these were in severe disrepair. At least 18 health facilities have been bombed in 2016 alone. In particular, we are deeply concerned by reports that at least five medical facilities have been targeted in opposition-held eastern Aleppo since 22 April. Most of the attacks against medical facilities are likely to have been carried out by the regime or its backers.