Press release
Syrian Opposition Coalition
Department of Media and Communications
July 22, 2021
On the early morning hours of Thursday, the third day of Eid al-Adha, shelling and bombardment by the Russian occupation forces and Assad regime forces killed seven civilians, including four children, in the village of Ableen in southern rural Idlib. The attack also left many civilians injured, all from one family.
These field developments, artillery shelling and aerial bombardment by the Russian occupation forces, Assad regime forces, and Iranian militias targeting civilians in rural Idlib risk dragging the situation on the ground to the brink of yet new explosion.
It is imperative that international actors seriously intervene to confront the plans of the Assad regime and its allies, and to rein in this attack, the continuous escalation, and the criminal intentions that lie beneath it. We expect the sisterly and Arab states to ratchet up pressure on the international community in this regard.
The international community’s continued silence on this escalation means tacit acknowledgment of its inability to enforce its resolutions or assume its responsibilities. This silence also encourages the perpetrators to commit more crimes and violations, which will have grave consequences.
The Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC) reiterates its calls on the United Nations to activate the Responsibility to Protect commitment to prevent genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity, including the activation of Chapter VII of the UN Charter in accordance with the UN General Assembly resolution 1/60 of September 16, 2005.
