Only Hospital in Damascus Suburb Is Closed After Bombings
The attack on the hospital was the third in as many days.
— LONDON -- Residents of a besieged rebel-held city outside Damascus, Syria, have lost their only functioning hospital in a bombing, according to activists, an independent observer and a medical society.
The Syrian American Medical Society told ABC News that the attack happened this morning in the city of Daraya, a rebel-held suburb that has been under siege by Syrian government forces since November 2012.
"According to the initial reports we received, the hospital was hit by four napalm bombs. The hospital, which serves civilians under siege, is currently out of service,” Lobna Hassairi a spokesperson said.
The medical society later added that the napalm was carried in barrel bombs.
The attack was the third targeting the hospital in as many days, according to the medical society. The hospital has changed locations in the past due to multiple attacks.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the hospital is no longer functioning after being hit by barrel bombs.
"Clashes took place between forces [supporting the regime of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad] and rebels around Drosha area amid bombardment by regime forces on the area; 2 missiles fired by regime forces fell on Daraya city," the observatory said in a statement.
The Daraya Council tweeted a photo of the hospital after the attack:
In nearby Madaya, another besieged rebel-held town, 18 people were successfully evacuated today to receive medical care in exchange for the evacuation of 18 other people from the pro-regime areas of Fuaa and Kefraya, medical sources said. Among those evacuated are a 22-year-old girl who has become blind due to an acute brain infection that doctors were unable to diagnose -- as well as a 9-year-old boy who had a severe case of meningitis and was dipping in and out a semi-comatose state, the medical sources said.
ABC News' Rym Momtaz contributed to this report.
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