Russia Now the Leading Killer of Syrian Civilians

[Blue_Tires]

Russian airstrikes are now the leading killer of Syrian civilians, accounting for more than half of all civilian deaths. In a letter to the UN Security Council delivered on 26 October, the Special Representative of the Syrian National Coalition, Dr. Najib Ghadbian, called on Member States to stop the indiscriminate slaughter of civilians through the enforcement of a no-bombing zone, calling Russian claims that its airstrikes targeted ISIS a “fallacy”.

Citing data from the Syrian Civil Defence (“White Helmets”), the Syrian National Coalition’s letter outlined the alarming human toll of Russian airstrikes and warned that Russia’s actions were war crimes. Analysis of Russian airstrikes conducted between 30 September and 17 October revealed:

Russia conducted 297 air airstrikes across North West Syria, in Homs, Idlib, Aleppo, the Damascus countryside, Hama and Deraa

231 civilian deaths due to Russian airstrikes in Syria, including 38 women, 34 children and 3 Syrian Civil Defence (“White Helmets”) rescue workers.

Russian airstrikes accounted for 53 percent of all civilian deaths in Syria.

Only 7 percent of Russian airstrikes targeted ISIS.

Since the start of Russian strikes, ISIS has made significant advances, including in Aleppo.

As many as 85,000 people fled Hama and the southwestern districts of Aleppo city after Russian and regime forces launched a co-offensive in opposition-held areas.

Russian airstrikes have overwhelmingly targeted civilian objects, including civilian homes, bread distribution points, IDP camps, farms and fields.


https://twitter.com/KenRoth/status/658764442600083460
http://www.etilaf.us/oct_humanitarian_letter?utm_campaign=oct_2139_un&utm_medium=email&utm_source=etilaf
https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/etilaf/pages/265/attachments/original/1445882355/2015.10.22_Syria_2139_Humanitarian.pdf?1445882355

[DFW]

1. I'm sure ISIS will not take this news lying down

They've probably already demanded a recount........

[Fred Sanders]

2. Your source is...suspect. USA is still number 1 in Afghanistan and ally Saudi in Yemen, though!

[Blue_Tires]

4. HRW is "suspect" now? OK, whatever you say, chief

we're done here...

[Oneironaut]

3. War is messy

To avoid civilian deaths, you would have to avoid war. The bs the American public was sold about the precision of our bombs was just that - bs.

The best course of action is to reject war in all forms.

[gratuitous]

5. Well, you should get right over to Russia and tell them to knock it off

What are you waiting for? Go! Now!

[Comrade Grumpy]

6. Human rights violations are human rights violations.

http://www.syriahr.com/en/2015/10/human-rights-watch-accuses-russia-of-war-crimes-in-syria/

The New York-based body said one airstrike reportedly hit the home of an opposition Free Syrian Army (FSA) commander, in which 46 family members were killed. Locals said the FSA commander was away from the home at the time of the attack.

“Civilian relatives of combatants are not legitimate military targets. If the local commander was the intended target, the likelihood that the attack on a civilian home with what appears to be a vacuum bomb would have killed large numbers of civilians makes it a disproportionate and unlawful attack,” said the statement. “Attacks in which the expected civilian loss exceeds the anticipated military gain are serious violations of the laws of war.”

This applies to Russian bombing campaigns, American drone strikes, Saudi bombing campaigns, etc.

[Rex]

7. Putin doesn't even try and hide the fact he is bombing everyone that is anti-Assad.

Doesn't matter what their faction name or their ideology. Expect jingoism to expand in Russia as their leader ramps up for more war.

[EX500rider]

8. Anyone wondering why the Russian bombing campaign has been more effective it's this..

.....they don't care about ROE or human shields like the western Air Forces. The corollary being higher civilian deaths of course.

[KamaAina]

9. Way to go, Pooty-Poot!