Worldwide protest against Assad, Russia to ‘save Aleppo’

The stalling talks between international powers on Syria - with Russia ramping up its air raid campaign - has ignited worldwide protests calling for an end to the horror in Aleppo.

Protestors in Turkey, France, Netherlands, America and Canada took to the streets opposing Bashar al-Assad’s and Russia’s crimes in Aleppo, carrying posters that read “Stop bombing Aleppo” and “Save Aleppo”.

Since the ceasefire broke down, Russian and Syrian government air strikes have been pounding opposition-held areas of Aleppo, where more than 250,000 civilians are trapped without food or clean water.

US-Russian tensions over Syria have escalated since the breakdown of a cease-fire last month, with each side blaming the other for its failure.

Syrian government forces backed by Russian warplanes have launched a major onslaught on rebel-held parts of the northern city of Aleppo.

Russia on Saturday warned Washington against attacking Syrian government forces, saying it would have repercussions across the Middle East as government forces captured a hill on the edge of the northern city of Aleppo under the cover of airstrikes, according to the Associated Press.

Russian news agencies quoted Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying that a US intervention against the Syrian army “will lead to terrible, tectonic consequences not only on the territory of this country but also in the region on the whole.”

Russian forces joined the Syrian war a year ago, tipping the balance of power in favor of Assad, who is also supported by Iranian ground forces and Shiite militia fighters from Lebanon and Iraq.