Douma is the largest district in rebel-held eastern Ghouta, which has been subjected to crippling siege by pro-regime forces since October 2013. Life condition have drastically deteriorated as regime forces block the entry of civilians, food and medical supplies.
This report documents a regime aerial attack using eight rockets that hit two marketplaces and a residential neighborhood on August 16th, 2015.
Following the airstrikes, Dr. Majd Dalati of the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) conducted several surgeries on the injured and communicated with families of the victims. He took photos and videos to document details, including names, of all the victims.
Out of safety concerns, we changed the names of the witnesses and victims Dr. Dalati interviewed, however, we have preserved the original information for our archives. We explained the goal of the interviews to the witnesses and we have their consent to use the information they provide in this report. We have verified the photos and videos we have received, and we keep copies of all the video clips and images used in this report.
Through careful examination of the photo and video evidence, we concluded that the airstrikes have targeted purely civilian marketplaces void of any military or weapons depots neither during nor before the attack. The timing of the attacks and the areas targeted clearly show that pro-regime forces sought to cause as many civilian casualties and as much destruction as possible.
The information contained in this report represents the minimum size of the massacres and violations committed by regime forces in Douma. Nor does it include the social, economic, and psychological impact of these violations.
The regime’s aerial bombardment and the displacement and destruction they cause are apparently aimed at thwarting the establishment of any governance model that may serve as a substitute for the government of the Assad regime.
