At least seven civilians, including three children and two women, were killed and other children were injured when Syrian regime forces, stationed in Shellef Castle in the northern suburbs of Latakia governorate, targeted the car they were in with an MD guided missile near al Najeyya village in the western suburbs of Idlib governorate on April 8, 2021.
SNHR notes that this attack is a breach of the ceasefire agreement reached following consultations between the Turkish and Russian presidents, which came into effect on March 6, 2020.
Through this action, Syrian regime forces have, without doubt, committed another violation of Security Council resolutions 2139 and 2254 which prohibited any further indiscriminate attacks, as well as violating the rules of international humanitarian law which stress the distinction between civilians and combatants. Attacks of this nature spread terror and panic among civilians, leading them to flee their lands and homes in an attempt to reach safety, and forcibly displacing them, with the number of internally displaced persons within Syria now reaching approximately 6.5 million Syrian citizens in total. The international community should put pressure on the Syrian regime and its allies to force them to compensate the displaced victims, rehabilitate homes and vital centers, support the process of political transition, and press all parties to pursue implementation of political transition according to a strict timetable which must not exceed six months, thus enabling millions of IDPs to return homes.
Photo shows the car that was carrying civilians burning in the aftermath of the Syrian regime bombing.
Photo shows one of the children being evacuated
