The Syrian government is determined to continue using cluster munitions that remain in the land for decades after use and may continue to cause civilians death, disability and destruction.
Despite of the fact that more than 112 of the world countries condemned – through a decision taken by the UN general Assembly – the Syrian government for using cluster munitions against its people, this government is still using them. Lots of reports and studies have documented the government forces’ use of cluster munitions in 9 Syrian governorates.
Our dear colleagues in Human Rights Watch issued a number of reports that prove the widening use of cluster munitions by the Syrian government forces in its bombing of the Syrian governorates. They could specify – through huge efforts – seven kinds of cluster munitions used.
This is a clear indication of the government forces’ disdain for the International Law.
Today, a new area is added to the list of dangerous areas in Syria in which cluster munitions were used. The international community needs to send a strong message in this regard, as it has done in the case of chemical weapons, or the Syria government will continue using cluster munitions repeatedly without fear of being questioned or accounted for that.
Government forces have used cluster munitions in dozens of areas along 9 governorates, the last of which was during the attacks on Yabrud in the Damascus Countryside. These attacks caused the killing of 138 civilians, among them 64 children (48%) and 14 women (12%). This means that a total of 60% of the victims are women and children, while number of men is 48. Only 3 rebels which were killed which constitutes only 2.5 % of the total victims of the attacks.