The Assad regime and Russian air forces continue to brutally bomb Aleppo, Idlib and Daraya, killing over 400 civilians in the past week. Internationally banned weapons, most notably cluster bombs, vacuum bombs, napalm and barrel bombs, have been widely used in the Russian and Assad regime bombings.
In a statement released on Sunday, the Syrian Coalition said that the spectacular gains recently made by rebel and FSA forces in Aleppo have brought in near hysteria on Assad and his allies, making them commit wholesale massacres against the Syrian people.
The Coalition called upon the UN Security Council to force the Russian Federation, as a permanent member of the council, to immediately comply with UNSCR 2254, particularly articles 12, 13 and 14. It also called on the UNSC to press towards stopping the bombing, lifting the sieges, and ensuring the return of refugees to their homes.
The UN Security Council must hold Russia legally and politically responsible for the targeting of civilians, medical and educational facilities, and places of worship, including the recent bombing of the Evangelical Church in Idlib, the Coalition added.
The intense aerial bombardment has destroyed most of the field hospitals and many civil defense centers in Aleppo, Idlib and Daraya. The targeting of civil defense centers caused the destruction of vehicles and equipment and injured dozens of rescue workers, known as the White Helmets.
“These deliberate attacks have left tens of thousands of civilians without access to basic medical and ambulance services, which will further exacerbate the suffering of the Syrian people as civilian casualties will most likely rise as a result of the ongoing aerial campaign.”
The Coalition stressed that the use of napalm, barrel bombs and toxic gases should be considered war crimes under international law and article 13 of UNSCR 2254, which called for respecting international law and international humanitarian law.
It also called upon the United States and the European Union to renew strict sanctions on perpetrators of war crimes, namely Assad regime officials, foreign terrorist militias, and all those responsible for targeting Syrian civilians.
The Coalition further called upon the UN Security Council to refer Bashar al-Assad and the pillars of his regime who commit war crimes and hinder the political transition in Syria to the International Criminal Court. It stressed that sending the wrong messages to Bashar al-Assad and his allies encourages them to commit more crimes. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
