Amnesty International said Russian air strikes in Syria may amount to war crimes after gathering reports on hundreds of civilians killed inside their homes, medical facilities and other public spaces.
“Russian air strikes in Syria have killed hundreds of civilians and caused massive destruction in residential areas, striking homes, a mosque and a busy market, as well as medical facilities, in a pattern of attacks that show evidence of violations of international humanitarian law,” said Amnesty International in a new briefing published today.
The report focuses on six attacks in Homs, Idlib and Aleppo provinces between September and November which Amnesty says killed at least 200 civilians. Amnesty International denounced Russia’s “shameful failure” to acknowledge the killing of civilians.
The human rights group interviewed eyewitnesses and survivors of attacks as well as examined video evidence and images showing the aftermath of attacks, aided by analysis by weapons experts.
“Some Russian airstrikes appear to have directly attacked civilians or civilian objects by striking residential areas with no evident military target and even medical facilities, resulting in deaths and injuries to civilians,” said Philip Luther, director of Amnesty’s Middle East and North Africa program. “Such attacks may amount to war crimes,” Luther said. (Source: Agencies)