On an article published by Vice News on Dec. 12th, 2016, the situation in Aleppo is escalating as Syrian government forces begin to advance on the last rebellion territory. The people that still inhabit this area began to post their final goodbyes online and to message their family members that this might be the end for them as the increase in danger around the area rises from airstrikes coming from Bashar al- Assad.

The messages displayed from a photographer’s Facebook postread “I am waiting to die or be captured by the Assad regime. Pray for me and always remember us.”

Messages like this should speak volumes to the rest of the world to provide some form of intervention into this foreign matter. It is currently estimated that more than 10,000 have left the area of Aleppo within a 24 hour period alone, as mentioned in the Wall Street Journal.

From further reports from The Guardian in an article published on Dec. 13th, 2016, the civilians in Aleppo are in grave danger, the reports are that the people are being slaughtered. Reports coming out of the city state that children are unaccompanied and trapped inside buildings. Reports have come out of UNICEF stating that they “urge all parties to conflict to allow the safe and immediate evacuation of all children.”

The numbers of civilian casualties are rising. So far the death count lists at least 84 total civilian death. People are being shot in their homes and are trying to flee the city.

The Turkish foreign ministry made claims that they were angry and filled with horror from the reports on the slaughter of civilians, which they consider a violation of international law agreements. Foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stated in a report to Russia that there needs to be some sort of ceasefire established.

The rest of the world stands and watches silently as innocent civilians are being slaughtered, but certain individuals like to claim they understand the whole situation from their ignorant comments over social media. I think it is hypocritical to somehow consider yourself an Evangelical and still blindly ignore the fact that some form of assistance is needed in these situations.

The change the world can do to aid and create protections for the civilians is to implement ceasefires and allow civilians to flee these cities. There needs to be more aid given to for groups like the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders and UN aid convoys.

We can avoid military intervention if the right sources are funded and supported with strong backing. These are meaningful steps to assist and eventually will channel back into the civilians.

It is ridiculous that when the Twin Towers fell and when Paris got bombed the entire world held hand in hand in resilience, and support, but today the world sits idly by as we watch these events in Aleppo with not a single care of showing support, or backing.

Juan Nevarez is a senior psychology major. He can be reached at 581-2812 or jnnevarez@eiu.edu.