The United Nations political chief has charged the Syrian government with serious crimes in its bombing of Aleppo and demanded that perpetrators be brought to justice.
"Let me be absolutely clear once again: intentional and direct attacks on hospitals are war crimes," Jeffrey Feltman told the UN Security Council on May 4. "Using starvation as a weapon during conflict is a war crime."
Feltman demanded that Syria be referred to the International Criminal Court for war crimes prosecution.
"Those responsible for war crimes must be held to account," he said, adding that the Syrian opposition also had caused some "death and destruction" with shelling in Aleppo.
A move by Western powers to refer Syria to The Hague court in 2014 was vetoed by Russia and China.
The British UN ambassador also charged Syria with committing war crimes in Aleppo, but Syria and Russia insisted that the Syrian regime was fighting terror groups in the city.
The 15-member council called on all sides of the Syrian conflict to adhere to a renewed cease-fire in Aleppo brokered by Russia and the United States that began on May 5 and is due to last 48 hours.
Based on reporting by AP and AFP