Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Syria: Barrel bombs in Aleppo bring terror and bloodshed forcing civilians underground - AI PRESS RELEASE

May 5, 2015
Amnesty International

     ‘Death everywhere’: War crimes and human rights abuses in Aleppo details the horrendous war crimes and other abuses being committed in the city by government forces and armed opposition groups on a daily basis, and concludes that some of the government’s actions in Aleppo amount to crimes against humanity.
     The report paints a particularly distressing picture of the devastation and bloodshed caused by barrel bombs - packed with explosives and metal fragments - which have been dropped by government forces on schools, hospitals, mosques and crowded markets. Many hospitals and schools have sought safety by moving into basements or underground bunkers.
     “Widespread atrocities, in particular the vicious and unrelenting aerial bombardment of civilian neighbourhoods by government forces, have made life for civilians in Aleppo increasingly unbearable. These reprehensible and continual strikes on residential areas point to a policy of deliberately and systematically targeting civilians in attacks that constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity,” said Philip Luther, Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme. 
Click here for entire PRESS RELEASE.

What are barrel bombs? 

  •  What is a Barrel Bomb - Explained in 30 seconds - BBC Urdu, video below

  • Click here for "Syria War: What Are Barrel Bombs and Why Are They So Deadly?" by Alexander Smith, NBC News