Press Statement
Mouaffaq Nyrabia
Syrian Coalition’s Representative to Benelux and the EU
December 15, 2015
On Sunday 13 December, a series of indiscriminate ground and aerial attacks by the Assad regime – possibly with Russian assistance – targeted civilian homes, hospitals and schools took place in the opposition-held neighbourhood of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus. Reports from the ground say over 45 civilians have been killed, including several children and women, and hundreds injured.
Commenting on the horrific attacks, the Syrian Coalition’s EU Representative, Mouaffaq Nyrabia said: “The indiscriminate bombardments against innocent civilians in Eastern Ghouta is a clear violation of international humanitarian law. What happened in Eastern Ghouta over the weekend is a daily recurrence for millions of Syrians across our country. It is this environment of fear which ISIS and other extremists exploit and the reason why so many Syrians risk their lives to seek refuge in Europe. These unlawful attacks demonstrate one more time Assad’s aim of terrorising innocent civilians, and not at defeating ISIS.
“The Foreign Ministers of the EU reiterated yesterday at the Council of EU the importance of full respect for international law, human rights and the rule of law in the fight against ISIS. We, Syrians today, urge the EU to stand for the rights of the Syrian people and to make all the efforts to guarantee the protection of civilians from further indiscriminate attacks. At the very least, I call on the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, to strongly condemn the continuing indiscriminate use of violence by the Assad regime and Russian aircraft against civilians in Syria. If the EU is unwilling to take such measures, then we call on our European partners to take unilateral action to ensure the protection of civilians in accordance with the Vienna Track and that those responsible for these heinous crimes are held to account.
“The war in Syria has taken the lives of over 300,000 Syrians, displaced half the country, and left millions of Syrians in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and protection. If the international community continues to abdicate its responsibility to protect civilians in Syria, there will soon be no Syria left to save”.
