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Russian Federation denies ‘war crimes’ allegations made by Amnesty
The report, which is also based on interviews to survivors and other witnesses, takes into consideration in particular six attacks in the provinces of Homs, Idlib and Aleppo between September and November in which at least 200 civilians and just over a dozen armed militants were reportedly killed.
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The HRW report found the cluster munitions were either made in Russia or the former Soviet Union, but both Amnesty and HRW were not able to determine with certainty whether cluster munitions attacks were carried out by Syrian or Russian forces, or both.
Although Moscow insists it only targets “terrorist” groups, the human rights organization accuses Russian Federation of using cluster bombs in civilian areas, which could constitute war crimes.
Russian Federation began air strikes in September this year, saying it was acting at the request of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
“Some Russian attacks seem to have been directly targeted towards civilians and civilian objects”.
Accusations of deadly Russian airstrikes have become common in Syria. Cluster munitions are a type of weapon that disperses hundreds of smaller explosives. The chairman, Viktor Ozerov, also said that if the Russians had indeed attacked civilians, the global community would have raised the issue in the U.N. Security Council. Among the worst attacks detailed in the report was a bombing raid on a busy market in Ariha, Idlib province, which killed 49 people. According to witnesses,”there were no military targets in the vicinity”.
Russia’s military “unlawfully used unguided bombs in densely populated areas and inherently indiscriminate cluster munitions”, the report said. In a few moments, the main street, packed with people buying and selling fruit and vegetables, turned into a scene of carnage with burning cars and the wounded screaming in terror.
Russian Federation claims its air raids are only targeting ISIS and what it considers other terrorist groups.
In one attack on October 15, near Homs, at least 46 civilians who were sheltering in a building basement were killed, Amnesty said.
Speakinng to the Independent upon the release of its report, Amnesty said it had repeatedly put its evidence to Moscow officials beforehand but received no “substantive” response. After reports and photos of the destroyed mosque emerged, the Russian authorities responded by calling it a “hoax”, presenting a satellite image purporting to show the mosque still intact.
A defiant Russian Defence Ministry says the report, which contains “trite cliches” and “fake information”, ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov told a news briefing.
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When asked Monday about allegations that Russia is using cluster bombs, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Russian military in Syria operates in line with worldwide law.