Napalm and Phosphorus Bombs Hit Dara’a and Raqqa

Press Release

Media Department

Syrian Coalition

June 12, 2017

Regime forces have committed used napalm-filled barrels in the bombing of residential areas in Dara’a and its countryside, causing many civilian casualties. The attacks came as guarantors of the ceasefire agreement continue to fail to meet their commitments and to work on stopping the brutal campaign by the Assad regime and the Iranian terrorist militias on the city of Dara’a and its countryside, and in light of the fact that Russia, one of the guarantors of the agreement, continues to participate in the campaign by continued bombing and the provision of aerial cover to pro-regime forces.

The Assad regime's militias have dropped over 300 barrel bombs and fired about 350 surface-to-surface missiles on the city of Dara’a since the onslaught began over a week ago. Last night, Assad’s militias dropped over 20 napalm-filled barrel bombs on the city.

The Syrian Coalition renews its condemnation of this escalating campaign as its stresses that these attacks constitute a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions and the obligations incurred on the parties to these resolutions.

The Coalition calls upon all members of the international community to shoulder their responsibilities towards the repeated, indiscriminate use of the incendiary napalm-filled barrel bombs, an internationally banned weapon. The Coalition warns of the dire consequence of the continued silence over this barbaric, criminal onslaught by regime and allied forces.

The Coalition also reiterates its condemnation of the continued bombing of the city of Raqqa by the international anti-ISIS coalition forces which have used white phosphorus in the targeting of populated areas. Credible reports coming from the city confirmed that the latest airstrikes have killed at least 10 civilians and wounded over 30 others.

As the Coalition repeats its positions on the need to combat terrorism and freeing Raqqa as well as all Syrian territory from the ISIS extremist group by the Free Syrian Army groups, it condemns the use of this type of weapon. The Coalition calls for urgent, strong measures against any recklessness or disregard for the lives of civilians. Measures also need to be taken to ensure accountability for these attacks and more needs to be done than promising to conduct investigations and the making of bald statements while waiting for time to pass by.