A rights group said that the Assad regime introduced the so-called “explosive hoses,” a new improvised weapon into its list of indiscriminate weapons and used in particular in the districts of Qaboun and Tishreen in northeastern Damascus.
According to a report the Syrian Network for Human Rights published on Tuesday, the weapon is made of 80-meter-long plastic hoses stuffed with TNT or C4 and is usually delivered by the Russian UR-77 mine clearing vehicle.
The Network said it has recorded at least 16 attacks in which explosive hoses were used since early April. The attacks have killed six people and injured 30 others and caused massive damage to infrastructure in the districts of Qaboun and Tishreen.
According to the report, the first time this weapon was used was in the district of Jobar northeast of Damascus back in October 2014. However, the use of this weapon remained limited given the regime’s extensive dependence on barrel bombs. In 2016, regime forces stepped up the use of “explosive hoses”, especially in attacks on rebel-held areas in Aleppo and Dara’a provinces.
“Explosive hoses” cause massive destruction over a wide area. The Network’s report included drone footage showing the extent of destruction this weapon caused in Qaboun and Tishreen in the period between February and April this year.
The Network condemned the use of indiscriminate weapons and called upon the UN Security Council and the international community to take urgent action to stop such attacks against the Syrian people. It stressed that the international community must break its shameful silence towards the Assad regime’s terrorist attacks on unarmed civilians. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)
