Hundreds at Russia, Iran embassies protest over Aleppo

Hundreds protested Thursday in front of the embassies of Iran and Russia in Ankara over those countries' violations of the cease-fire in Aleppo.

Protesters from Turkey's Human Rights and Service Association, Faith Freedom Platform, and trade unionists chanted slogans condemning the UN and countries that have stayed silent in the face of the humanitarian tragedy in Aleppo.

“The massacre in Aleppo and the theater in the UN," the group chanted.

Serkan Codal, a spokesman for the protesters, said that Syria “is being subjected to genocide."

“Nearly 1 million people were killed in Syria, and we stand with those that are now being tortured," he said.

Separately, protesters in Ukraine gathered in front of the Russian Embassy in Kiev over Russia's violation of the cease-fire and alleged war crimes against the civilian population of the Syrian city of Aleppo.

The group said that Russia and the regime forces “must immediately stop assaulting the civilian population."

Violence escalated in the city Monday when Syrian regime forces advanced into opposition-held parts of eastern Aleppo following a five-month siege and persistent aerial bombardment. The Russian-backed regime had been trying to reestablish control over parts of Aleppo captured four years ago by armed opposition groups.

Syria has been locked in a devastating civil war since early 2011 when the regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests – which had erupted as part of the Arab Spring uprisings – with unexpected ferocity. Since then, hundreds of thousands of people are believed to have been killed by the conflict and millions more displaced.