Human Rights Watch: Syrian regime and Russia have committed crimes against humanity in Idlib

On Thursday, Human Rights Watch warned in a new report that attacks launched by Syrian and Russian forces against civilian infrastructure in northwestern Syria constitute “crimes against humanity” and that those responsible must be held accountable.

The report said the attacks have severely damaged rights to health, education, food, water and housing, leading to massive displacements and dozens of illegal air and ground attacks on hospitals, schools and markets from April 2019 to March. of 2020 and killed hundreds of civilians.

The report, “What are they targeting life in Idlib: Syrian-Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure?”, Details the violations committed by the Syrian regime and its ally Russia during the 11-month military campaign to retake the governorate of Idlib and its surroundings, one of the last areas controlled by armed groups opposed to the government.

The report mentions 10 senior Syrian and Russian civilian and military officials who are likely to be involved in war crimes by virtue of their command responsibility.

Among the civilian and military leaders “who bear leadership responsibility for the violations during the Idlib offensive,” according to the organization, are Syrian presidents Bashar al-Assad and Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

“The repeated illegal attacks appear to be part of a deliberate military strategy to destroy civilian infrastructure and expel the population, making it easier for the Syrian government to regain control,” said the executive director of Human Rights Watch.

The organization documented 46 air and ground attacks, including the use of cluster munitions, and interviewed more than 100 victims and witnesses of the 46 attacks, and reviewed dozens of satellite images and more than 550 photos and videos taken at the sites of the attacks, as well as flight controller records.

The organization said it provided a summary of its findings and questions to the Syrian and Russian governments, but received no response.

The report indicated that documented strikes, most of which occurred in four cities (Jericho, Idlib, Jisr al-Shughour, and Maarat al-Nu`man and their surroundings) damaged 12 health facilities and ten schools, forcing to close in some cases permanently.

The attacks also damaged at least five markets, four camps for the displaced, four residential neighborhoods, two commercial areas, a prison, a church, a playground and the headquarters of an NGO.

The organization said the attacks appear to be aimed at depriving civilians of the means to support themselves and forcing them to flee or sow terror among the population.

The organization called on the United Nations General Assembly to adopt a resolution or statement calling for targeted sanctions to be imposed on Syrian and Russian military and civilian leaders who are credibly involved in war crimes, possible crimes against humanity and others. serious abuse.