4 amongst which were killed by government forces
SNHR issued its monthly report regarding the documentation of violations against medical personnel and civil defense staffers in March by conflict parties in Syria.
The report assured that the government forces involved in shelling and targeting medical institutions since2011. As well as the armed conflict parties which targeted medical personnel and civil defense staffers by killing and arresting them. That indicated a systematic policy that aimed to kill more victims and deepens the suffering of the injured civilians and rebels.
Since the cessation of hostilities was started, different Syrian governorates, especially regions under the control of armed opposition, witnessed a significant decline in the shelling and killing percentages since March 2011. However, it is worth noting that regions under the government control or Kurdish Self-Management Forces are not subjected to government shelling which is considered responsible for killing more than 60% of the victims in addition to destroying houses and displacing its residents.
However, the Syrian regime continued to breach the ceasefire in several ways as it is one of the most affected parties regarding this agreement and unpublicized violations have been continuous like torturing detainees.
The report documented the death of 6 medical personal and civil defense staffers at the hand of government forces including a doctor and 3 civil defense staffers.
However the Russian forces killed one civil defense staffer while the armed opposition groups killed one nurse.
The report followed high standards for documentation which are based on collecting direct testimonies from survivors or victims’ families in addition to analyzing and verifying photos, video footages, and some medical records. However, SNHR couldn’t claim that it has documented all the incidents in light of the ban and pursuit by the Syrian regime and other armed groups.
The report indicated that the Syrian and government has blatantly violated both the International Humanitarian Law and the norms of the Humanitarian law; particularly Article 3 of Geneva Conventions and the international humanitarian law and committed crimes that can be openly classified as war crimes when it targeted medics as well as crimes against humanity through these numerous acts of killing
The report demanded the Security Council to uphold its legal and moral responsibilities in respect to what happening in Syria instead of only watching the daily bloodbath.
The report recommended the international organization to send volunteers to safe areas where wounded are sent for treatment. Especially after recording many cases where wounded died due to lack of medical capabilities.
