A/HRC/28/69 245. During the aerial campaign in Idlib governorate, Government forces dropped barrel bombs on Kansafra city, hitting and destroying two hospitals and injuring medical personnel on 16 July 2014. The hospitals contained orthopaedics, obstetrics and gynaecology and paediatric centres. On 29 July, Orient Hospital in Al-Kaniya village near Jisr Al-Shukhour, was hit in an airstrike. On 19 September, the hospital was attacked again, rendering its facilities dysfunctional. Orient Hospital in Al-Kaniya had been targeted twice in 2013. 246. Hospitals in eastern Ghouta (Rif Damascus) have been systematically targeted. AlNashabeea Hospital was struck by tank fire on 28 July, killing a general surgeon and an emergency intensive care doctor. The hospital was further targeted with repeated airstrikes during the first week of September 2014, leading to its destruction. The Al-Kahf Surgical Hospital in eastern Ghouta was hit with barrel bombs on 1 September, destroying much of the hospital’s infrastructure and injuring medical personnel. 247. In a devastating attack on Al-Houda surgical field hospital in Aleppo countryside on 2 August 2014, six medical personnel and nine patients were killed, and 20 medical staff were injured. The hospital was hit at 10:30 am and rendered dysfunctional. 248. Helfaya National Hospital in Hama was attacked on 6 and 7 August 2014, causing significant damage to its infrastructure and substantially reducing its ability to treat patients. 249. On 23 August, the Al-Tabqa National Hospital in Ar Raqqah was attacked with barrel bombs, destroying the building and killing at least four medical personnel. The hospital was a significant provider of medical care to the residents of Tabqa. 250. Ambulances have been targeted, killing paramedics and the sick and wounded. On 17 July 2014, an airstrike hit an ambulance while paramedics were rescuing and providing emergency care to persons wounded in airstrikes against Al-Bab (Aleppo). A paramedic was killed and the driver of the ambulance was severely injured. An ambulance rescuing civilians injured in an airstrike targeting a market in Douma, (Rif Damascus) on 3 August 2014, was hit, killing two paramedics. Another ambulance was attacked on 18 September 2014 in eastern Ghouta (Rif Damascus), killing the two drivers. An ambulance transporting wounded civilians was struck by barrel bombs in the north of Aleppo city. 251. Government forces carried out an airstrike against Atteb Alhadeeth Hospital in AlMayadin (Dayr az Zawr) on 16 December 2014, killing tens of wounded patients and destroying much of the hospitals infrastructure. 252. Al-Radwan field hospital located in Jasim (Dara’a) was hit in four separate air raids on 31 December, destroying much of its infrastructure and forcing it to cease operations. The attack wounded dozens of patients, among them children. The hospital had previously been targeted in aerial bombardment campaigns in Dara’a. The field hospital served residents and IDPs seeking shelter in areas of Jasim city under non-State armed group control. 253. Medical personnel continue to be detained and disappeared. Accounts from Government detention facilities often refer to doctors and nurses detained on charges of aiding the opposition. Medical personnel have been severely tortured and died in the custody of Syrian authorities. 254. The documented incidents of attacks against hospitals are of grave concern, as they demonstrate a disregard for the specially protected status of healthcare facilities and a failure to take precautions to avoid civilian casualties and protected the sick and wounded. The pattern of attacks indicates that Government forces deliberately target hospitals and medical units to gain military advantage by depriving anti-Government armed groups and their perceived supporters of medical assistance. 58