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Download the Full Report H U M A N R I G H T S DEATH FROM THE SKIES Deliberate and Indiscriminate Air Strikes on Civilians WATCH Death from the Skies Deliberate and Indiscriminate Air Strikes on Civilians Copyright © 2013 Human Rights Watch All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 978-1-62313-0039 Cover design by Rafael Jimenez Human Rights Watch is dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world. We stand with victims and activists to prevent discrimination, to uphold political freedom, to protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime, and to bring offenders to justice. We investigate and expose human rights violations and hold abusers accountable. We challenge governments and those who hold power to end abusive practices and respect international human rights law. We enlist the public and the international community to support the cause of human rights for all. Human Rights Watch is an international organization with staff in more than 40 countries, and offices in Amsterdam, Beirut, Berlin, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Goma, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Nairobi, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo, Toronto, Tunis, Washington DC, and Zurich. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.hrw.org APRIL 2013 ISBN: 978-1-62313-0039 Death from the Skies Deliberate and Indiscriminate Air Strikes on Civilians Summary ........................................................................................................................... 1 Ending the Killing of Civilians ................................................................................................... 6 Methodology ...................................................................................................................... 9 I. Background: From Protests to Armed Conflict ................................................................. 11 Air Strikes and Casualties ....................................................................................................... 14 II. Applicable International Humanitarian Law ................................................................... 16 International Humanitarian Law .............................................................................................. 16 Unlawful Air Strikes ................................................................................................................ 19 III. Deliberate Attacks on Bakeries .................................................................................... 25 Aqyoul Bakery, Aleppo city .............................................................................................. 26 Kanjou Bakery, Aleppo city ............................................................................................... 27 Mare`, Aleppo ................................................................................................................. 28 Al-Bab, Aleppo ................................................................................................................ 28 IV. Attacks on Hospitals ................................................................................................... 30 Dar al-Shifa Hospital in Aleppo City .................................................................................. 31 Makeshift Hospital in Salma, Latakia ................................................................................ 33 V. Cluster Bomb Attacks ................................................................................................... 35 Cases of Cluster Bomb Attacks Documented by Human Rights Watch ...................................... 38 Al-Najiya, Idlib, December 15 ............................................................................................ 38 Mare`, Aleppo, December 12 ............................................................................................ 38 Abu Hilal, Idlib, November 27, 2012 .................................................................................. 39 Deir al-`Assafeer, Damascus, November 25 ...................................................................... 40 Kansba, Latakia, November 2012 ...................................................................................... 41 Souran, Aleppo, October 30 ............................................................................................. 41 Eastern al-Buwayda, Homs, October 9-18 ......................................................................... 42 VI. Other Unlawful Air Strikes ........................................................................................... 44 Aerial Attacks in Aleppo Governorate ...................................................................................... 44 Al-Bab .............................................................................................................................. 44 Azaz ................................................................................................................................ 49 Mare` ............................................................................................................................... 51 Akhtarin ........................................................................................................................... 54 Souran ............................................................................................................................. 55 Tel Rifa`t .......................................................................................................................... 57 Air Strikes in Latakia and Idlib Governorates ........................................................................... 57 Kansba, Latakia ............................................................................................................... 58 Al-Najiya, Idlib ................................................................................................................. 59 Majdal Keekhya, Latakia .................................................................................................. 61 Other Documented Attacks ..................................................................................................... 61 Idlib Governorate ............................................................................................................ 62 Homs Governorate .......................................................................................................... 64 Hama Governorate .......................................................................................................... 64 Damascus Countryside Governorate ................................................................................ 64 VII. Incendiary Weapons ................................................................................................... 66 Al-Bab, Aleppo ................................................................................................................. 67 Daraya, Damascus .......................................................................................................... 68 Ma`rat al-Nu`man, Idlib ................................................................................................... 69 Al-Quseir, Homs ............................................................................................................... 70 Babila District of Damascus .............................................................................................. 72 Recommendations ............................................................................................................ 73 Address Arms Transfers and Technical Support to Syrian Authorities ....................................... 73 Press Arms Suppliers to Stop Providing Arms, Ammunition and Materiel to the Syrian Government ..................................................................................................................... 73 Press Iraq to Prohibit Trans-Shipment of Weapons to Syria ............................................... 74 Greatly Expand Cross-Border Humanitarian Relief to Opposition-Held Areas of Syria ......... 74 Press for Security Council Action and Hold Russia and China Accountable ........................ 75 Engage the Syrian Armed Opposition ...................................................................................... 78 Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... 80 Summary Since late July 2012, Syrian government forces have carried out air strikes from fighter jets and helicopters against cities, towns, and neighborhoods under the control of opposition forces. These attacks have killed more than 4,300 civilians according to one Syrian group documenting casualties, injured thousands of people, and destroyed civilian property and infrastructure in Aleppo, Idlib, Hama, Deir al-Zor, Damascus, Dar`a, Homs, Raqqa, and other governorates. In this report, Human Rights Watch documents 59 unlawful attacks, the sites of which we were able to visit. These attacks include deliberate attacks against civilians and indiscriminate attacks—that is air strikes that did not or could not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Both types of attacks are serious violations of international humanitarian law (the laws of war).Human Rights Watch has found that the Syrian Air Force appears to have carried out indiscriminate air strikes with knowledge of their indiscriminate effect. Individuals who commit serious violations of the laws of war willfully—that is intentionally
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