Syrian rebels seize strategic hospital in Aleppo

Fighters who overran the shattered building include both conservative groups and al-Qaeda linked factions

By AP 21 December 2013, 1:29 pm

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Syrian citizens stand on the rubble of houses that were destroyed by government airstrikes in Aleppo, Syria, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2013 (photo credit: AP/Aleppo Media Center AMC)

BEIRUT — Syrian rebels have gained control of a strategic hospital in the city of Aleppo despite days of relentless barrel-bombings of opposition-held areas in the northern city, activists said Saturday.

Two activist groups — the Aleppo Media Center and the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights — said the rebels captured the hospital on Friday.

Aleppo-based activist Abu al-Hassan Marea says the rebels who overran the shattered building of the Kindi hospital in Aleppo included both conservative Muslim groups and al-Qaeda linked factions.

The hospital is close to Aleppo’s besieged central prison, which rebels have been trying to capture for months to free their comrades.

Syrian warplanes, meanwhile, pushed on with dumping deadly barrel-bombs on opposition strongholds in Aleppo for the seventh day Saturday.