At least six civilians, including three children, were killed on July 15, 2021, when artillery forces which we believe were Russian fired a shell equipped with a Krasnopol laser guidance system targeting group of workers who were cutting rocks in the outskirts of al Fou’a town in the northeastern suburbs of Idlib governorate.
SNHR notes that this shelling 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, Russian forces have, without doubt, committed another violation of Security Council resolutions 2139 and 2254 which prohibit 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 currently standing at 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 evacuation of victims of a massacre by Russian forces’ bombardment on the outskirts of al Fou’a town.
Photo shows the site of a massacre by Russian forces’ bombardment in al Fou’a town.
Photo shows remnants of shell fired by Russian forces on the outskirts of al Fou’a town resulted in a massacre.
