AZAZ—In northern Syria, residents of the rebel-held town of Azaz are cleaning up after an aerial bombardment by Syrian government planes killed about 50 people and wounded more than 100. It is being called one of the deadliest attacks in the 17-month uprising in which some 20,000 people have died.
The residents of Azaz clean up and mourn after Wednesday's deadly bombing by Syrian government warplanes.
Azaz had been peaceful in recent months, although forces of the rebel Free Syrian Army have had to resist several government attacks this year.
A grieving Mahmoud Ghreire lost a dozen relatives in this attack near the central market, including his uncle's entire family.
“There were children dead here," said Ghreire. "There were children dead there. There were kids inside here. And we found body parts of a boy here."
Yassar Hajjar shows a fragment of what he says was a 500-kilogram bomb.
“People were safe here in Azaz," said Hajjar. "And many people had come here from Aleppo as a place of refuge. But yesterday a Mig 25 destroyed that.”
Many residents have fled to neighboring Turkey. Some crossed the border Wednesday evening but many spent the night here, waiting for a place in Turkey's already crowded camps.
Yet many people stay on. Azaz remains defiant. But the feeling of calm and security is gone.