The U.N. human rights chief on Friday said the Syrian city of Aleppo is “a slaughterhouse” and is urging the Human Rights Council to set aside “political disagreements” to focus on suffering civilians.
Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein delivered the stark remarks in an address by videoconference to the 47-member U.N.-backed rights body as it opened a special session on Aleppo called by Britain and others over the crisis in the city.
Zeid, a Jordanian prince, says rights violations and abuses in Syria, in rebel-held eastern Aleppo and beyond “constitute crimes of historic proportions.”
He said the “collective failure of the international community to protect civilians and halt this bloodshed should haunt every one of us.”
The council was expected to vote later in the day on a resolution that would call for increased monitoring of crimes in Aleppo.
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