On the evening of June 12, 2021, al Shefaa Hospital, located in Villas Street in the centre of Afrin city in the northern suburbs of Aleppo governorate, was shelled along with the surrounding area, by missiles whose source has not yet been identified as of this writing, the primary parties suspected of responsibility for the attack being the Syrian regime forces and Syrian Democratic Forces, with the shelling emanating from an area controlled by them. SNHR has documented the deaths of at least 14 individuals, including a child and five women in addition to three medical personnel and two humanitarian relief personnel, and the injury of 40 other civilians who sustained varying degrees of wounds. Additionally, the hospital structure was severely damaged and its equipment and an ambulance were damaged.
SNHR further notes that an attack was launched on Afrin city one hour before the hospital and the surrounding areas in the city came under attack, with this earlier bombardment killing one individual and injuring several others, who had been taken to the hospital for treatment before the attack on the hospital took place.
We note that al Shefaa hospital, which is operated by the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS), is considered to be one of the biggest hospitals in north Syria, providing health services for about 15,000 people per month.
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Photo shows damage to a Civil Defense ambulance caused by the shelling on the hospital.