The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) reports that no fewer than 22 children and six teachers have become victims of an air strike on a school in Syria's Idlib province.
"This is a tragedy. This is an outrage. If it was done intentionally, it's a war crime," said Anthony Lake, executive director at UNICEF.
Lake also claimed that the school had been targeted several times. Human rights activists in opposition-controlled Idlib believe Russia's air force might have been behind the attack.
Vitaly Churkin, Russia's permanent representative to the UN, has already commented on the incident.
"The easiest thing to say is that it wasn't us," Churkin said. "But I'm a responsible person; we have to wait and see what our Defense Ministry has to say about this."
"It's terrible, terrible — I hope this was not us," he added.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
