No less than 300,000 Besieged People in the City
SNHR has published a report entitled: “Eastern Neighborhoods of Aleppo are being Bombed and Besieged” which draws upon the archive that has been cumulatively built through daily monitoring and documenting during the period of time covered in the report. All statistics included in the report are recorded by name, picture, place and time of death, and other details. Also, the report relies on accounts by survivors and eyewitnesses.
The report notes that government forces, with the support of local and foreign militias, have advanced to Mazare’ Al-Mlah area on 7 July 2016 which directly overlooks onto Castillo Road. On 10 July 2016, these forces started targeting any vehicle that passes on the road to tighten the siege on no less than 300,000 people living in the eastern neighborhoods of the city. Also, Syrian Democratic Forces contributes to the siege of the aforementioned neighborhoods by controlling Al-Shekh Maqsoud neighborhood and not allowing the passage of civilians and aids.
The report sheds light on the violations of the international humanitarian law and international human rights law focusing mainly on the bombing and besieging of the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo between 10 July 2016 and 23 July 2016 and what that means for hundreds of thousands of civilians.0
The report records that 99 civilians, including 25 children and 16 women, were killed in the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo between 10 July 2016 and 23 July 2016 where government forces killed 71 civilians, including 18 children and 11 women, among them were 14 civilians, including two children, who were killed as they were trying to pass through Castillo Road, while Russian forces killed 28 civilians including seven children and five women.
The report asserts that government forces have perpetrates serious violations of human rights and war crimes that manifested in the form of killing and targeting of civilians. Aerial bombardment has led to the death of great numbers of civilian victims and caused a state of panic among civilians. Additionally, there is the crime of besieging about 300,000 civilians primarily by government forces and secondly by Syrian Democratic Forces.
The report’s recommendations included an emphasizing on the necessity to insure the effective protection of civilians, distinguish between civil and military targets, and refrain from carrying out any indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks. Additionally, Syrian Democratic Forces must respect the civilians’ right to acquire indispensable life necessities such as home, food, water, and medical care and allow the passage of humanitarian aids without any obstructions.
Furthermore, the report calls on the Security Council to take steps to establish a solution that would instill peace and security in Syria in a way that fulfills the aspirations of the Syrian people in freedom and democracy.
Finally, the report urges the Syria Support Group to urgently aid about 300,000 civilians living under siege in Aleppo city. Most of these civilians are children and women.