1286 Barrel Bombs Killed Two Civilians, including a Woman in February 2016
SNHR issued the report that documented the government forces use of barrel bombs in February.
The report mentioned that the first use of barrel bombs by the Syrian government was on Monday 1st of October 2012 against Sqleen town in Idlib governorate. These barrels are random weapons and locally made, since it is less expensive, causes massive destruction, and causes a great loss of lives. 99% of the casualties are civilians, where the percentage of targeted women and children ranges between 12 and 35%.
The report indicated that the SNHRs daily documentation proved that the Syrian regime doesn’t stop the killing and dropping barrel bombs Unlike the Russian ambassador’s announcement in the United Nations, that the Syrian regime stopped using barrel bombs.
According to the report documentation the toll of barrel bombs that were dropped by government helicopters in February was 1287barrel bombs. The biggest part were dropped on Deraa and Damascus suburbs. And caused the killing of 2civilians including a women. And caused the damage of 4 vital facilities.
The report indicated no that there were some sort of coordination between the Syrian government forces and the Russian forces whereas the Russian forces intensify its airstrikes on Syria’s north. However, the Syrian government warplanes concentrate its airstrikes on the southern governorates in Deraa Damascus suburbs, in addition to the northern governorates. The barrel bombs since the Russian military intervention in 30th of September 2015 amount to more than 6524barrels bombs caused the killing of 191 civilians including 36 children and 27 women.
The report confirmed that the Syrian government has, beyond any doubt, violated Security Council resolution 2139 and used barrel bombs in a widespread and systematic manner. Furthermore, the Syrian government perpetrated the crime of murder in a widespread and systematic manner according to Article VII of The International Criminal Court Rome Stature. Additionally, it violated many principles of the international humanitarian law and perpetrated tens of crimes that can be classified openly as war crimes through its indiscriminate and proportionate bombing.
The report recommended the Security Council to take serious steps in order to implement its resolutions which have become ineffective and thus lost all of its credibility and purpose
And it called to impose an arms embargo on the Syrian government and prosecute anyone who supplies the Syrian government with money and weapon considering that those resources are being used to perpetrate crimes and serious human rights violations.