Clown of Aleppo 'killed in Syrian or Russian air strike'

NBC: 'Clown Of Aleppo,' Who Brought Joy to Syrian Kids, Killed by Airstrike

In a country besieged by death and violence, Syrian social worker Anas al-Basha worked hard to bring laughter to children by donning a bright-orange wig and acting silly. Better known to his young fans as the "Clown of Aleppo," Al-Basha was killed in the Mashhad neighborhood Tuesday, the Associated Press reported.

And now even that point of cheer has been extinguished for the many families suffering amid Syria's civil war.

"He lived to make children laugh and happy in the darkest most dangerous place," Mahmoud al-Basha, who identified himself as Anas' brother, wrote on Facebook.

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Update #1: Syria conflict: Clown of Aleppo 'dies in air strike' (BBC)
Update #2: Beloved clown who comforted children in war-torn Aleppo killed in strike (CNN)

WNU Editor: The Syrian rebel lines in Aleppo have collapsed .... Half of rebel Aleppo falls to Syrian forces (AFP). And while many of these rebels are saying that they will fight on .... Syria’s Rebels Say Regardless of Aleppo, They Will Fight On (VOA), the focus is shifting on what happens after Aleppo has fallen .... The Day after Aleppo Falls (Francesco Belcastro, National Interest).