- 15 Jun 2017 06:49
#14814700
U.S.-led airstrikes on ISIS are killing hundreds of Syrian civilians
At least 300 civilians have been killed since March by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes in the Syrian city of Raqqa, the U.N. says, as ground forces close in on the Islamic State group’s stronghold.
The strikes have been launched in support of the Syrian Democratic Forces, a multi-ethnic alliance fighting to take back the city, which has been ISIS’ de facto capital and center of operations in Syria since 2014. The SDF were closing in on Raqqa for months before launching their offensive on June 6; according to the latest coalition data, 97 percent of coalition strikes are carried out by U.S. aircraft.
“We note in particular that the intensification of air strikes, which have paved the ground for an SDF advance in Raqqa, has resulted not only in staggering loss of civilian life, but has also led to 160,000 civilians fleeing their homes and becoming internally displaced,” Paulo Pinheiro, chairman of the U.N. Commission of Inquiry, told the Human Rights Council Wednesday.
Civilians in Raqqa are reportedly receiving contradictory information from coalition leaflets dropped on the city, according to U.K.-based Airwars, an independent monitoring group that has been tracking civilian casualties in Iraq and Syria since 2014. One leaflet told civilians to seek refuge with SDF forces in Raqqa; another, dropped days later, advised them to leave the city.
“This is your last chance,” the second leaflet read, according to an Airwars researcher. “Failing to leave might lead to death. Raqqa will fall. Don’t be there at that time.”
“If they stay in their homes, they’re at risk of being bombed,” said Airwars founder Chris Woods. “If they flee, they risk being shot by ISIS or killed by mines.”
Raqqa isn’t the only ISIS-held city targeted by coalition strikes in recent weeks. In Mosul, the ISIS home base in Iraq, about 130 civilians have been killed in airstrikes in June alone, according to Airwars — though not all of the airstrikes are confirmed as coalition-led.
“The Americans and their proxies are not taking enough care to protect civilians,” Woods said. “We’ve been seeing escalating civilian casualties even before the offensive on Raqqa began.”
Since President Donald Trump took office, the U.S.-led coalition has killed more civilians in Syria and Iraq than the Russians have killed in Syria, according to Airwars. Prior to January, Russia had consistently been responsible for more civilian deaths than the coalition.
At least 300 civilians have been killed since March by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes in the Syrian city of Raqqa, the U.N. says, as ground forces close in on the Islamic State group’s stronghold.
The strikes have been launched in support of the Syrian Democratic Forces, a multi-ethnic alliance fighting to take back the city, which has been ISIS’ de facto capital and center of operations in Syria since 2014. The SDF were closing in on Raqqa for months before launching their offensive on June 6; according to the latest coalition data, 97 percent of coalition strikes are carried out by U.S. aircraft.
“We note in particular that the intensification of air strikes, which have paved the ground for an SDF advance in Raqqa, has resulted not only in staggering loss of civilian life, but has also led to 160,000 civilians fleeing their homes and becoming internally displaced,” Paulo Pinheiro, chairman of the U.N. Commission of Inquiry, told the Human Rights Council Wednesday.
Civilians in Raqqa are reportedly receiving contradictory information from coalition leaflets dropped on the city, according to U.K.-based Airwars, an independent monitoring group that has been tracking civilian casualties in Iraq and Syria since 2014. One leaflet told civilians to seek refuge with SDF forces in Raqqa; another, dropped days later, advised them to leave the city.
“This is your last chance,” the second leaflet read, according to an Airwars researcher. “Failing to leave might lead to death. Raqqa will fall. Don’t be there at that time.”
“If they stay in their homes, they’re at risk of being bombed,” said Airwars founder Chris Woods. “If they flee, they risk being shot by ISIS or killed by mines.”
Raqqa isn’t the only ISIS-held city targeted by coalition strikes in recent weeks. In Mosul, the ISIS home base in Iraq, about 130 civilians have been killed in airstrikes in June alone, according to Airwars — though not all of the airstrikes are confirmed as coalition-led.
“The Americans and their proxies are not taking enough care to protect civilians,” Woods said. “We’ve been seeing escalating civilian casualties even before the offensive on Raqqa began.”
Since President Donald Trump took office, the U.S.-led coalition has killed more civilians in Syria and Iraq than the Russians have killed in Syria, according to Airwars. Prior to January, Russia had consistently been responsible for more civilian deaths than the coalition.
- By QatzelOk
- By Tainari88