Active States are Obliged to Take Action as Dozens Killed in Assad Regime Airstrikes in Dara’a & Quneitra

Press Release

Syrian Coalition

Department of Media and Communications

July 18, 2018

Warplanes of the Assad regime, backed by Russia, committed two horrific massacres, one of which took place in the town of Ayn al-Tinah in Quneitra province on Tuesday (17 July).

The massacre in Ayn al-Tinah claimed the lives of at least 10 people from one family after a helicopter dropped a barrel bomb on a school sheltering people who fled the onslaught on the area by the Assad regime forces and its allied militias.

In a separated attack, more than 19 civilians, mostly women and children, were killed in ground and aerial bombardment directly targeting civilian homes in the town of Nawa northwest of Dara’a.

The ongoing brutal bombing campaign have killed dozens of civilians, mostly women and children, in rural Dara’a and Quneitra over the past two weeks. The bombings have also forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes.

Missiles, barrel bombs, and rockets continue to pummel towns and villages in southern Syria. Massacres are being committed, civilians are being displaced, field hospitals are being targeted, and civil defense crews are struggling to help the victims. Meanwhile, the international community continues to watch idly by as the situation is further worsening, failing its duty maintain to international peace and security.

The UN Security Council cannot be exempted from its responsibility by simply turning a blind eye to the facts on the ground and massacres taking place. Member States cannot shirk their duties and responsibilities towards what is happening. They are obliged to take urgent action to stop these crimes and protect civilians if they are to save the face of the international body.

The Syrian Coalition calls upon the UN Security Council to take urgent action to stop the brutal bombings. It also urges the UN Human Rights Council to open the dossier of war crimes, hold the Assad regime officials accountable, and address attempts by Iran and Russia to displace more Syrians from their land and homes.