UN: Russia responsible for war crimes against civilians in Syria

(Patria) - A United Nations investigation into crimes against the civilian population in Syria has, for the first time, accused Russia of direct involvement in war crimes due to indiscriminate bombing of civilian targets.

The British Guardian writes that the latest report by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria analyzes events in the period from July 2019 to January of this year, focusing on attacks by 'pro-government forces' on civilian targets such as, for example, health facility buildings.

The commission primarily focused on two incidents where Russian aircraft were proven to have bombed civilian areas. While the possibility of responsibility for war crimes had been suggested before, this time evidence was found to support such claims.

In the first case, which occurred on July 22 last year, a market in the town of Ma'arrat al-Nu'man, 33 km south of the city of Idlib, was bombed twice. 43 civilians, including 4 children, were killed, and 109 were injured.

In the second attack being investigated by the commission, Russian forces bombed a makeshift settlement for displaced civilians in an open area near Haas in Idlib province on August 16. In that attack, 20 civilians lost their lives, and 40 were injured.

Russia denies responsibility for the mass killing of civilians in Syria, stating that airstrikes are solely support for the Syrian regime in the fight against terrorist groups.

The commission of inquiry consists of three independent experts: Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, a legal expert from Brazil, Karen Koning AbuZayd, a senior US UN official, and Hanny Megally, a human rights expert from Egypt.

The commission was formed by the Human Rights Council in 2011 with a mandate to report on human rights violations in Syria, writes the Guardian.