The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) issued a report on the massacre that Russian forces committed in an area that is covered by the “de-escalation zones” agreement claiming the lives of 79 civilians, including 8 children when Russian jets bombed a popular market in the town of Atareb in western rural Aleppo.
According to the report, which was issued on Friday, two fixed-wing aircraft that are believed to belong to the Russian air force conducted three airstrikes on a popular market in the center of the town of Atareb near a police station at approximately 14:08 on Monday, November 13, 2017. The airstrikes killed 79 people, including eight children and 8 women and injured at least 83 others. The airstrikes also destroyed shops, the police station, and a Doctors Without Borders-supported health facility.
The report confirmed that the Russian forces have indisputably violated UN Security Council resolutions 2139 and 2254 which called for an end to indiscriminate attacks. They also violated Article 8 of the Rome Statute by committing the act of intentional murder, which constitutes war crimes.
The report indicated that forces of the Assad regime-Russian’s alliance had deliberately violated the ‘de-escalation zones’ agreement since the moment it went into force on May 6, 2017 in several areas across Syria, most notably in Idlib province, eastern Ghouta and Aleppo province. The violations revealed intentions by the alliance to sabotage the agreement and subjugate the Syrian community to force it to surrender and then recognize the legitimacy of the regime.
The report reiterated calls for the referral of the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and hold all perpetrators of violations to account. It also called for the enforcement of the principle of responsibility to protect civilians in order to save the lives of Syrians and their heritage and arts from destruction, looting and sabotage. It also called for the expansion of sanctions to include all pillars of the Assad and Iranian regimes who are directly involved in war crimes and crimes against humanity during the conflict. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)
