Almost 100 children killed in Aleppo since Friday, UNICEF says

Almost 100 children have been killed, and 223 have been injured amid intensefighting that has gripped theSyrian city of Aleppo since Friday, according to UNICEF.

The children of Aleppo are "trapped in a living nightmare,"said Justin Forsyth, deputy executive director of the UN organization, in a statement on Wednesday."There are no words left to describe the suffering they are experiencing."

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UNICEF says 96 children have been killed in Aleppo since Friday. Pro-government forces, backed by Russia, on Thursday launched a massive assault to retake the city from Syria's rebels, following the collapse of a ceasefire.

Nine children were killed Tuesdayduringairstrikes on the rebel-held al-Shaar and al-Mashadneighbourhoods, according to theSyrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the conflict.

UNICEF repeated warnings that the city has only about 30 doctors left to care for theestimated250,000 civilians caught in its rebel-held areas.

"Children with low chances of survival are too often left to die" because of limitedresources, the group said.

Pope condemns carnage

Pope Francis decried the carnageon Wednesday, saying those responsible for the bombing must answer to God.

The pontiffexpressed "deep pain and strong worry for what's happening," inhis public audience Wednesday in St. Peter's Square.

"Children and elderly everyone is dying," Francis said.

Rubble fell in onthe patients in the intensive careunit.MohammadAbuRajab, radiologist

A major hospital was among the buildingshit in bombardments in the rebel-held eastern sector on Wednesday, residents said.

"The warplane flew over us and directly started dropping itsmissiles on this hospital at around 4 a.m.,"MohammadAbuRajab, a radiologist at the largest trauma hospital in the sector, told Reuters.

"The rubble fell in onthe patients in the intensive care unit."

The strikes also hit the hospital's oxygen and powergenerators, and patients were transferred to another hospital inthe area, medical workers at the M10 hospital said.

A bakery in another rebel-held district was also hit around 3a.m. local time, as people lined up to collect bread, residents said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rightssaid the bakery in theal-Maadineighbourhood had beenhit by artillery shelling, killing at least six people.

Earlier in the day, asenior rebel official said pro-government forces were mobilizing in apparent preparation for more ground attacks incentral areas of Aleppo , which is divided into zonescontrolled separately by the rebels and government.

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"There have been clashes inal-Suweiqafrom 5 a.m. untilnow. The army advanced a little bit, and the guys are nowrepelling it, God willing," a fighter in the rebel Levant Frontgroup said in a voice recording sent to Reuters, referring to anarea where there was also fighting on Tuesday.

Another rebel official said government forces were alsoattacking the insurgent-heldHandaratrefugee camp a fewkilometres to the north of Aleppo.