Patients shot dead in beds in massacre at Syrian hospital, BBC told | BBC News

Syrian government forces have been accused of killing dozens of people in a massacre at a hospital in the southern city of Suweida, following sectarian clashes which erupted in recent days.

Staff at the National Hospital have told the BBC that troops killed patients in their beds and threw some to their deaths from the hospital roof.

The troops are accused of targeting the region’s Druze religious minority. The government denies its forces carried out a massacre and says they were in the city to enforce a ceasefire after fighting between Druze and Bedouin communities.

Dr Wissam Massoud, a neurosurgeon at the hospital, told the BBC: "It was a massacre… The soldiers came here saying they wanted to bring peace, but they killed scores of patients, from the very young to the very old."

The Syrian defence ministry said in a statement that it was aware of reports of "shocking violations" by people wearing military fatigues in the country’s predominantly Druze city of Suweida. The government says all allegations of atrocities will be fully investigated.

Jane Hill presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Jon Donnison from the hospital in Suweida.
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