Washington, Rabi'II 16, 1434, Feb 26, 2013, SPA - The United States "absolutely condemns" Friday's escalation of violence in Aleppo, the State Department said Monday. "There have been some horrific scud missile attacks, particularly in the eastern district of that city, that have killed dozens of people," State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell told reporters. "This is a clear sign of the regime's ongoing disregard for human life, and so in the context some of this severe suffering, there has been that escalation." --SPA 11:15 LOCAL TIME 08:15 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/1082097