SNHR has released its monthly report documenting the use of barrel bombs by Syrian Regime, in which SNHR documented 3,601 barrel bombs dropped by Syrian Regime forces in 2018.
 
The report notes that the Syrian regime has used improvised, low-cost, highly-effective weapons in order to kill as many victims as possible and inflict as much widespread destruction as possible. Barrel bombs have been one of the most widely used improvised weapons since March 2011. The first documented barrel bomb attack, according to the report, was on July 18, 2012 in Dael city, northern Daraa governorate, with five civilians killed in that attack, including one female child and three women while around eight others were injured.
The report adds that it took the Security Council around a year and a half after that attack to adopt resolution 2139 on February 22, 2014, which condemned the use of barrel bombs, However, the Syrian regime has continued to subject areas outside of its control to a dreadful daily rain of dozens of barrel bombs.
 
The report documents that Syrian regime forces have used 26,577 barrel bombs since the start of the Russian intervention on September 30, 2015, despite the promises made by Vitaly Churkin, the former Russian representative to the United Nations, in October 2015, when he stated that the Syrian regime would end its use of barrel bombs.
 
The report sheds light on the nature of barrel bombs, the methods adopted by the Syrian regime to manufacture them, the types of containers and explosive materials used by the Syrian regime, and the chemical substances, incendiary ammunitions, and metal objects that have been added to barrel bombs.
 
According to the report, the Syrian regime, in 2018, used barrel bombs as a weapon on an intensive basis in the three de-escalation zones (specific areas of northern Homs governorate, parts of the governorates of Daraa and Quneitra, and the Eastern Ghouta in Damascus Suburbs governorate), targeting residential communities and inflicting frequent massacres and massive destruction, which led to the forced displacement of residents. However, this year’s record of barrel bomb attacks is the lowest to date in comparison to previous years, with no incidents recorded in the last quarter of the year, following the entry into force of the Sochi Agreement on September 17, 2018.
The report notes that the highest number of barrel bomb attacks recorded this year took place in Damascus Suburbs governorate, where 1,396 such attacks were documented, followed by Daraa governorate with 917, then Idlib governorate with 607.
 
The report provides a record of at least 3,601 barrel bombs dropped by the Syrian regime in 2018, during which the highest monthly figure was recorded in March, followed by April.
 
The use of barrel bombs in 2018, according to the report, resulted in the deaths of 187 civilians, including 51 children, and 55 women (adult female). A number of these barrel bombs were used in attacks on vital civilian facilities. The report documents at least 35 attacks on vital civilian facilities, nine of which were on mosques, two on schools, one on an educational institute, 17 on medical facilities, two on Civil Defense facilities, two on bakeries, one on industrial facilities, and one on a refugee camp.
 
According to the report, the Syrian regime used barrel bombs filled with poison gas as a weapon in four attacks in 2018: the first of these on was on Sarqeb city in Idlib governorate on February 4, the second such attack was on Hamouriya town in the Eastern Ghouta in Damascus Suburbs governorate on March 5, and the other two attacks, which took place three hours apart, were against Douma city in the Eastern Ghouta on April 7. Meanwhile, barrel bombs loaded with anti-tank mines were dropped on al Habeit village in the southern suburbs of Idlib governorate on September 10.
 
The report stresses that the Syrian government has violated Security Council resolutions 2139 and 2254, and used barrel bombs in a systematic, widespread manner. Also, the Syrian government, through the crime of willful killing, has violated Article 7 and Article 8 of the Rome Statute. In addition, the Syrian government has violated the rules of international human rights law which guarantees the right to life. Since these violations were committed in a non-international armed conflict, they qualify as a war crime.
 
The report notes that barrel bomb attacks are an indiscriminate form of bombing that targets defenseless civilians and has caused significant damages to protected objects. This damage was extremely excessive compared to any anticipated military benefit.
 
According to the report, through the use of barrel bombs containing poison gases, the Syrian regime has violated the rules of customary international humanitarian law. Secondly, the Syrian regime has also violated the CWC treaty. Thirdly, the Syrian regime has violated all relevant Security Council resolutions – particularly 2118, 2209, and 2235. In addition, the use of chemical weapons constitutes a war crime according to the ICC’s Rome Statute.
 
The report notes that Syrian regime forces have used barrel bombs loaded with incendiary ammunitions without any military justification, and without taking any measures to reduce the damages to civilians and civilian facilities.
The report calls on the Syrian regime to stop treating the Syrian state as a private family property. In addition, the report calls on the Syrian regime to cease terrorizing the Syrian people by dropping barrel bombs, to assume responsibility for all legal and material consequences, and to compensate the victims and their families from the resources of the Syrian state.
The report calls on the UN Security Council to ensure the serious implementation of its resolutions. Also, the report calls on the five permanent member states to apply pressure on the Russian government to end its support for the Syrian regime, while the report adds that an arms embargo should be imposed on the Syrian regime. In addition, the report emphasizes that the case in Syria should be referred to the International Criminal Court, peace and security should be instilled in Syria, and the prosecution of everyone involved in crimes against humanity and war crimes should commence immediately.
The report calls on the European Union and the United States of America to support the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism that was established in accordance with General Assembly Resolution 71/248, adopted on December 21, 2016, to establish local tribunals that enjoy universal jurisdiction, and to address the war crimes perpetrated in Syria.
In addition, the report states that pressure should be applied on the Syrian government to ratify Protocol III of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, and to comply with the Protocol’s restrictions.
 
Also, the report calls on the Commission of Inquiry (COI) and the International, Impartial, and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) to launch investigations into the incidents included in this report and past reports. The report stresses that SNHR is willing to cooperate and to provide further evidence and data.
 
In addition, the report calls for the implementation of the “Responsibility to Protect (R2P)” norm, especially after all political channels have been exhausted through the efforts of the Arab League, then Mr. Kofi Annan’s plan, and the Cessation of Hostilities statements and Astana agreements that followed. The report stresses that action should be taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, and that the “Responsibility to Protect” norm, which was established by the United Nations General Assembly, should be implemented. The Security Council is still hindering the protection of civilians in Syria.
 

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SNHR has released its monthly report on the use of barrel bombs by Syrian regime forces for September.
 
The report notes that the Syrian regime has used improvised, low-cost, highly-effective weapons in order to kill as many victims as possible and inflict as much wide destruction as possible. Barrel bombs have been one of the most-used improvised weapons since March 2011. The first documented barrel bomb attack, according to the report, was on July 18, 2012 in Dael city, northern Daraa governorate, where five civilians were killed in that attack, including one female child and three women while about eight others were injured.
The report adds that it took the Security Council about a year and a half to adopt resolution 2139 on February 22, 2014, which condemned the use of barrel bombs, However, the Syrian regime is still raining down the areas outside of its control with tens of barrel bombs.
 
The report says that Syrian regime forces have used 26,577 barrel bombs since the start of the Russian intervention on September 30, 2015, despite the promises made by Vitaly Churkin, the former Russian representative to the United Nations, in October 2015 where he said that the Syrian regime would stop bombing with barrel bombs.
 
The report sheds light on the nature of barrel bombs, the methods adopted by the Syrian regime to manufacture them, the types of containers and explosive materials used by the Syrian regime, and the chemical substances, incendiary ammunitions, and metal objects that are added to barrel bombs.
 
This report draws upon the ongoing monitoring of news and development and on accounts by survivors, eyewitnesses, and local media activists as the report contains one account collected through speaking directly to eyewitnesses, and are not cite from any open sources, in addition to analyzing a large number of videos and photos that were posted online or sent by local activists.
 
According to the report, September saw a military escalation by Russian-Syrian alliance forces in north Syria that lasted from September 4 until September 11, during which barrel bombs were used by the Syrian regime to terrorize civilians.
The report adds that the Syrian regime used barrel bombs loaded with anti-tank mines in September. This was in al Habeit village, southern suburbs of Idlib on September 10.
 
The report says that no less than 3,601 have been dropped since the start of 2018 by the Syrian regime, where the month of March recorded the highest number of barrel bombs, followed by April, while the report records that 98 barrel bombs at least were dropped in September and killed two civilians. In addition, barrel bombs were used in one attack on a vital civilian facility (a medical facility)
 
The report stresses that the Syrian government has violated Security Council resolutions 2139 and 2254, and used barrel bombs in a systematic, widespread manner. Also, the Syrian government, through the crime of willful killing, has violated Article 7 and Article 8 of Rome Statute. In addition, the Syrian government has violated the rules of the international human rights law which guarantee the right to life. Considering that these violations were committed in a non-international armed conflict, they qualify as a war crime.
 
The report notes that barrel bomb attacks are an indiscriminate bombing that targeted defenseless civilians and caused significant damages to protected objects. The damage was too excessive compared to the anticipated military benefit.
 
According to the report, Through the use of poison gases-loaded barrel bombs, the Syrian regime has violated the rules of the customary international humanitarian law. Secondly, the Syrian regime has violated the CWC treaty. Thirdly, the Syrian regime has violated all relevant Security Council resolutions – particularly 2118, 2209, and 2235. In addition, the use of chemical weapons constitutes a war crime according to ICC’s Rome Statute.
 
The report notes that Syrian regime forces have used barrel bombs loaded with incendiary ammunitions without a military justification, and without taking any measures to reduce the damages to civilians and civilian facilities.
The report calls on the Syrian regime to stop treating the Syrian state as a private family property. In addition, the report calls on the Syrian regime to cease terrorizing the Syrian people by dropping barrel bombs, shoulder all legal and material consequences, and compensate the victims and their families from the resources of the Syrian state.
The report calls on the Security Council to ensure the serious implementation of its resolutions. Also, the report calls on the four permanent state members to apply pressure on the Russian government to cease its support for the Syrian regime, while the report adds that an arms embargo should be imposed on the Syrian regime. In addition, the report emphasizes that the case in Syria should be referred to the International Criminal Court, peace and security should be instilled in Syria, and the prosecution of everyone involved in crimes against humanity and war crimes should commence immediately.
The report calls on the European Union and the United States of America to support the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism that was established in accordance with General Assembly Resolution 71/248, adopted on December 21, 2016. And establish local tribunals that enjoy a universal jurisdiction, and address the war crimes that were perpetrated in Syria.
In addition, the report says that pressure should be applied on the Syria government to ratify Protocol III of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, and pressure the Syrian government to comply with the Protocol’s restrictions.
 
Also, the report calls on the Commission of Inquiry (COI) and the International, Impartial, and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) to launch investigations on the incidents included in this report and past reports. The report stresses that SNHR is willing to cooperate and provide more evidences and data.
 
In addition, the report calls for the implementation of the “Responsibility to Protect (R2P)” norm, especially after all political channels have been consumed through the Arab League and then Mr. Kofi Annan’s plan, and the Cessation of Hostilities statements and Astana agreements that followed. The report stresses that action should be taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, and the “Responsibility to Protect” norm, which was established by the United Nations General Assembly, should be implemented. The Security Council is still hindering the protection of civilians in Syria.
 

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SNHR has released its monthly report on the use of barrel bombs by Syrian regime forces for the month of August
 
The report notes that the Syrian regime has used improvised, low-cost, highly-effective weapons in order to kill as many victims as possible and inflict as much wide destruction as possible. Barrel bombs have been one of the most-used improvised weapons since March 2011. The first documented barrel bomb attack, according to the report, was on July 18, 2012 in Dael city, northern Daraa governorate, where five civilians were killed in that attack, including one female child and three women while about eight others were injured.
The report adds that it took the Security Council about a year and a half to adopt resolution 2139 on February 22, 2014, which condemned the use of barrel bombs, However, the Syrian regime is still raining down the areas outside of its control with tens of barrel bombs.
 
The report says that Syrian regime forces have used 26,479 barrel bombs since the start of the Russian intervention on September 30, 2015, despite the promises made by Vitaly Churkin, the former Russian representative to the United Nations, in October 2015 where he said that the Syrian regime would stop bombing with barrel bombs.
 
The report sheds light on the nature of barrel bombs, the methods adopted by the Syrian regime to manufacture them, the types of containers and explosive materials used by the Syrian regime, and the chemical substances, incendiary ammunitions, and metal objects that are added to barrel bombs.
 
This report draws upon the ongoing monitoring of news and development and on accounts by survivors, eyewitnesses, and local media activists, in addition to analyzing a large number of videos and pictures that were posted online or sent by local activists.
 
August saw an unprecedented drop in terms of barrel bombs dropped by the Syrian regime as rates of air attacks by Russian-Syrian alliance forces dropped overall throughout Syria. According to the report, Idlib governorate recorded the highest number of barrel bombs in August.
 
The report says that no less than 3,503 have been dropped since the start of 2018 by the Syrian regime, where the month of March recorded the highest number of barrel bombs, followed by April while the report records that 67 barrel bombs at least were dropped in August, killing seven civilians, including two children and one woman (adult female).. Also, a number of barrel bombs were used in attacks on vital civilian facilities, as the report records one attack on a vital civilian facility (a school).
 
The report stresses that the Syrian government has violated Security Council resolutions 2139 and 2254, and used barrel bombs in a systematic, widespread manner. Also, the Syrian government, through the crime of willful killing, has violated Article 7 and Article 8 of Rome Statute. In addition, the Syrian government has violated the rules of the international human rights law which guarantee the right to life. Considering that these violations were committed in a non-international armed conflict, they qualify as a war crime.
 
The report notes that barrel bomb attacks are an indiscriminate bombing that targeted defenseless civilians and caused significant damages to protected objects. The damage was too excessive compared to the anticipated military benefit.
 
According to the report, Through the use of poison gases-loaded barrel bombs, the Syrian regime has violated the rules of the customary international humanitarian law. Secondly, the Syrian regime has violated the CWC treaty. Thirdly, the Syrian regime has violated all relevant Security Council resolutions – particularly 2118, 2209, and 2235. In addition, the use of chemical weapons constitutes a war crime according to ICC’s Rome Statute.
 
The report notes that Syrian regime forces have used barrel bombs loaded with incendiary ammunitions without a military justification, and without taking any measures to reduce the damages to civilians and civilian facilities.
The report calls on the Syrian regime to stop treating the Syrian state as a private family property. In addition, the report calls on the Syrian regime to cease terrorizing the Syrian people by dropping barrel bombs, shoulder all legal and material consequences, and compensate the victims and their families from the resources of the Syrian state.
The report calls on the Security Council to ensure the serious implementation of its resolutions. Also, the report calls on the four permanent state members to apply pressure on the Russian government to cease its support for the Syrian regime, while the report adds that an arms embargo should be imposed on the Syrian regime. In addition, the report emphasizes that the case in Syria should be referred to the International Criminal Court, peace and security should be instilled in Syria, and the prosecution of everyone involved in crimes against humanity and war crimes should commence immediately.
The report calls on the European Union and the United States of America to support the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism that was established in accordance with General Assembly Resolution 71/248, adopted on December 21, 2016. And establish local tribunals that enjoy a universal jurisdiction, and address the war crimes that were perpetrated in Syria.
In addition, the report says that pressure should be applied on the Syria government to ratify Protocol III of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, and pressure the Syrian government to comply with the Protocol’s restrictions.
 
Also, the report calls on the Commission of Inquiry (COI) and the International, Impartial, and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) to launch investigations on the incidents included in this report and past reports. The report stresses that SNHR is willing to cooperate and provide more evidences and data.
 
In addition, the report calls for the implementation of the “Responsibility to Protect (R2P)” norm, especially after all political channels have been consumed through the Arab League and then Mr. Kofi Annan’s plan, and the Cessation of Hostilities statements and Astana agreements that followed. The report stresses that action should be taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, and the “Responsibility to Protect” norm, which was established by the United Nations General Assembly, should be implemented. The Security Council is still hindering the protection of civilians in Syria.
 

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SNHR has released its monthly report on the use of barrel bombs by Syrian regime forces for the month of July.
 
The report notes that the Syrian regime has used improvised, low-cost, highly-effective weapons in order to kill as many victims as possible and inflict as much wide destruction as possible. Barrel bombs have been one of the most-used improvised weapons since March 2011. The first documented barrel bomb attack, according to the report, was on July 18, 2012 in Dael city, northern Daraa governorate, where five civilians were killed in that attack, including one female child and three women while about eight others were injured.
The report adds that it took the Security Council about a year and a half to adopt resolution 2139 on February 22, 2014, which condemned the use of barrel bombs, However, the Syrian regime is still raining down the areas outside of its control with tens of barrel bombs.
 
The report says that Syrian regime forces have used 26,412 barrel bombs since the start of the Russian intervention on September 30, 2015, despite the promises made by Vitaly Churkin, the former Russian representative to the United Nations, in October 2015 where he said that the Syrian regime would stop bombing with barrel bombs.
 
The report sheds light on the nature of barrel bombs, the methods adopted by the Syrian regime to manufacture them, the types of containers and explosive materials used by the Syrian regime, and the chemical substances, incendiary ammunitions, and metal objects that are added to barrel bombs.

This report draws upon the ongoing monitoring of news and development and on accounts by survivors, eyewitnesses, and local media activists, in addition to analyzing a large number of videos and pictures that were posted online or sent by local activists.
 
According to the report, Russian-Syrian alliance forces continued their ruthless offensive on Daraa governorate that entered its second month. The offensive expanded to include all of the areas that are not under the control of Syrian regime forces in south Syria. Syrian regime forces used the indiscriminate weapon of barrel bombs more heavily as part of its traditional policy that aims to force residents of a targeted area to agree to forced displacement. Barrel bomb use started on July 15 as military operations continue in the areas that are still not under the control of Syrian regime forces.
 
The report says that no less than 34,36 have been dropped since the start of 2018 by the Syrian regime, where the month of March recorded the highest number of barrel bombs, followed by April. The report records that 528 barrel bombs at least were dropped in July and killed nine civilians, including five children and two women. Also, the report records one attack on one vital civilian facility, an IDPs shelter, that involved the use of barrel bombs.
 
The report stresses that the Syrian government has violated Security Council resolutions 2139 and 2254, and used barrel bombs in a systematic, widespread manner. Also, the Syrian government, through the crime of willful killing, has violated Article 7 and Article 8 of Rome Statute. In addition, the Syrian government has violated the rules of the international human rights law which guarantee the right to life. Considering that these violations were committed in a non-international armed conflict, they qualify as a war crime.
 
The report notes that barrel bomb attacks are an indiscriminate bombing that targeted defenseless civilians and caused significant damages to protected objects. The damage was too excessive compared to the anticipated military benefit.
 
According to the report, Through the use of poison gases-loaded barrel bombs, the Syrian regime has violated the rules of the customary international humanitarian law. Secondly, the Syrian regime has violated the CWC treaty. Thirdly, the Syrian regime has violated all relevant Security Council resolutions – particularly 2118, 2209, and 2235. In addition, the use of chemical weapons constitutes a war crime according to ICC’s Rome Statute.
 
The report notes that Syrian regime forces have used barrel bombs loaded with incendiary ammunitions without a military justification, and without taking any measures to reduce the damages to civilians and civilian facilities.
The report calls on the Syrian regime to stop treating the Syrian state as a private family property. In addition, the report calls on the Syrian regime to cease terrorizing the Syrian people by dropping barrel bombs, shoulder all legal and material consequences, and compensate the victims and their families from the resources of the Syrian state.
The report calls on the Security Council to ensure the serious implementation of its resolutions. Also, the report calls on the four permanent state members to apply pressure on the Russian government to cease its support for the Syrian regime, while the report adds that an arms embargo should be imposed on the Syrian regime. In addition, the report emphasizes that the case in Syria should be referred to the International Criminal Court, peace and security should be instilled in Syria, and the prosecution of everyone involved in crimes against humanity and war crimes should commence immediately.
The report calls on the European Union and the United States of America to support the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism that was established in accordance with General Assembly Resolution 71/248, adopted on December 21, 2016. And establish local tribunals that enjoy a universal jurisdiction, and address the war crimes that were perpetrated in Syria.
In addition, the report says that pressure should be applied on the Syria government to ratify Protocol III of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, and pressure the Syrian government to comply with the Protocol’s restrictions.
 
Also, the report calls on the Commission of Inquiry (COI) and the International, Impartial, and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) to launch investigations on the incidents included in this report and past reports. The report stresses that SNHR is willing to cooperate and provide more evidences and data.
 
In addition, the report calls for the implementation of the “Responsibility to Protect (R2P)” norm, especially after all political channels have been consumed through the Arab League and then Mr. Kofi Annan’s plan, and the Cessation of Hostilities statements and Astana agreements that followed. The report stresses that action should be taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, and the “Responsibility to Protect” norm, which was established by the United Nations General Assembly, should be implemented. The Security Council is still hindering the protection of civilians in Syria.
 

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SNHR has released its monthly report on the use of barrel bombs by Syrian regime forces, in which it documented that 2,908 barrel bombs were dropped by the Syrian regime in the first half of 2018, including 427 dropped in June.
 
The report notes that the Syrian regime has used improvised, low-cost, highly-effective weapons in order to kill as many victims as possible and inflict as much wide destruction as possible. Barrel bombs have been one of the most-used improvised weapons since March 2011. The first documented barrel bomb attack, according to the report, was on July 18, 2012 in Dael city, northern Daraa governorate, where five civilians were killed in that attack, including one female child and three women while about eight others were injured.
The report adds that it took the Security Council about a year and a half to adopt resolution 2139 on February 22, 2014, which condemned the use of barrel bombs, However, the Syrian regime is still raining down the areas outside of its control with tens of barrel bombs.
 
The report says that Syrian regime forces have used 25,884 barrel bombs since the start of the Russian intervention on September 30, 2015, despite the promises made by Vitaly Churkin, the former Russian representative to the United Nations, in October 2015 where he said that the Syrian regime would stop bombing with barrel bombs.
 
The report sheds light on the nature of barrel bombs, the methods adopted by the Syrian regime to manufacture them, the types of containers and explosive materials used by the Syrian regime, and the chemical substances, incendiary ammunitions, and metal objects that are added to barrel bombs.
 
This report draws upon the ongoing monitoring of news and development and on accounts by survivors, eyewitnesses, and local media, in addition to analyzing a large number of videos and pictures that were posted online or sent by local activists.
 
The report notes that Russian-Syrian alliance forces launched a vicious offensive in Daraa governorate in mid-June that involved the use of barrel bombs, as Daraa recorded the highest number of barrel bombs in June with 413 barrel bombs that were dropped by the Syrian regime. The report adds that the governorate saw its first barrel bomb attack in the last third of June since July 2017. According to the report, the offensive resulted in Syrian regime forces taking over many areas in the governorate.
 
The report says that the Syrian regime has dropped no less than 2,908 barrel bombs since the start of 2018, where March saw the most barrel bombs in the first half of the year, followed by April.
Barrel bombs dropped in the first half of 2018 resulted in the killing of 169 civilians, including 44 children and 52 women (adult female), while barrel bombs were used in attacks on vital civilian facilities, as the report records 32 attacks on vital civilian facilities that involved the use of barrel bombs – nine on mosques, one on a school, one on an institute, 16 on medical facilities, two on civil defense facilities, two on bakeries, and one on industrial facilities.
According to the report, the Syrian regime used poison gases-loaded barrel bombs in four attacks, the first of which was in Saraqeb city, Idlib governorate on February 4. The second took place in Hamouriya town, Eastern Ghouta, eastern Damascus suburbs on March 5 while the last two attacks were in Douma city, Eastern Ghouta, Damascus suburbs on April 7.
The report documents that 427 barrel bombs were dropped by the Syrian regime in June, which resulted in the killing of 11 civilians, including two children and two women (adult female).
 
The report stresses that the Syrian government has violated Security Council resolutions 2139 and 2254, and used barrel bombs in a systematic, widespread manner. Also, the Syrian government, through the crime of willful killing, has violated Article 7 and Article 8 of Rome Statute. In addition, the Syrian government has violated the rules of the international human rights law which guarantee the right to life. Considering that these violations were committed in a non-international armed conflict, they qualify as a war crime.
 
The report notes that barrel bomb attacks are an indiscriminate bombing that targeted defenseless civilians and caused significant damages to protected objects. The damage was too excessive compared to the anticipated military benefit.
 
According to the report, Through the use of poison gases-loaded barrel bombs, the Syrian regime has violated the rules of the customary international humanitarian law. Secondly, the Syrian regime has violated the CWC treaty. Thirdly, the Syrian regime has violated all relevant Security Council resolutions – particularly 2118, 2209, and 2235. In addition, the use of chemical weapons constitutes a war crime according to ICC’s Rome Statute.
 
The report notes that Syrian regime forces have used barrel bombs loaded with incendiary ammunitions without a justification, and without taking any measures to reduce the damages to civilians and civilian facilities.
The report calls on the Syrian regime to stop treating the Syrian state as a private family property, cease the terrorization of the Syrian people through dropping barrel bombs, and shoulder all the legal and material repercussions, and compensate victims and their families from the Syrian state’s resources.
The report calls on the Security Council to ensure the serious implementation of its resolutions. Also, the report calls on the four permanent state members to apply pressure on the Russian government to cease its support for the Syrian regime, while the report adds that an arms embargo should be imposed on the Syrian regime. In addition, the report emphasizes that the case in Syria should be referred to the International Criminal Court, peace and security should be instilled in Syria, and the prosecution of everyone involved in crimes against humanity and war crimes should commence immediately.
The report calls on the European Union and the United States of America to support the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism that was established in accordance with General Assembly Resolution 71/248, adopted on December 21, 2016. And establish local tribunals that enjoy a universal jurisdiction, and address the war crimes that were perpetrated in Syria.
In addition, the report says that pressure should be applied on the Syria government to ratify Protocol III of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, and pressure the Syrian government to comply with the Protocol’s restrictions.
 
Also, the report calls on the Commission of Inquiry (COI) and the International, Impartial, and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) to launch investigations on the incidents included in this report and past reports. The report stresses that SNHR is willing to cooperate and provide more evidences and data.
 
In addition, the report calls for the implementation of the “Responsibility to Protect (R2P)” norm, especially after all political channels have been consumed through the Arab League and then Mr. Kofi Annan’s plan, and the Cessation of Hostilities statements and Astana agreements that followed. The report stresses that action should be taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, and the “Responsibility to Protect” norm, which was established by the United Nations General Assembly, should be implemented. The Security Council is still hindering the protection of civilians in Syria.
 

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SNHR has released its monthly report on the use of barrel bombs by Syrian regime forces for the month of May.
 
The report notes that the Syrian regime has used improvised, low-cost, highly-effective weapons in order to kill as many victims as possible and inflict as much wide destruction as possible. Barrel bombs have been one of the most-used improvised weapons since March 2011. The first documented barrel bomb attack, according to the report, was on July 18, 2012 in Dael city, northern Daraa governorate, where five civilians were killed in that attack, including one female child and three women while about eight others were injured.
The report adds that it took the Security Council about a year and a half to adopt resolution 2139 on February 22, 2014, which condemned the use of barrel bombs, However, the Syrian regime is still raining down the areas outside of its control with tens of barrel bombs.
 
The report says that Syrian regime forces have used 25,457 barrel bombs since the start of the Russian intervention on September 30, 2015, despite the promises made by Vitaly Churkin, the former Russian representative to the United Nations, in October 2015 where he said that the Syrian regime would stop bombing with barrel bombs.
 
The report sheds light on the nature of barrel bombs, the methods adopted by the Syrian regime to manufacture them, the types of containers and explosive materials used by the Syrian regime, and the chemical substances, incendiary ammunitions, and metal objects that are added to barrel bombs.
 
This report draws upon the ongoing monitoring of news and development by SNHR team, and accounts by survivors, eyewitnesses, and local media activists, in addition to analyzing a large number of videos and pictures that were posted online or sent by local activists.
 
The report notes that May saw an unprecedented drop since August 2017 in terms of barrel bombs dropped by the Syrian regime, as rates of bombardments by Syrian-Russian alliance forces have noticeably decreased in most areas in light of the agreements that resulted in Syrian regime forces, backed by its ally Russia, completely seizing control of south Damascus, as well as areas in northern suburbs of Homs. Residents of both areas have been forcibly displaced to north Syria. Nonetheless, the report adds, south Damascus saw the majority of barrel bombs that were dropped by the Syrian regime in May before taking control of those areas.
 
The report says that Syrian regime air force have dropped no less than 2, 481 barrel bombs since the start of 2018, where March saw the majority of those barrel bombs, followed by April. The report records that no less than 93 barrel bombs were dropped in May.
 
The report stresses that the Syrian government has violated Security Council resolutions 2139 and 2254, and used barrel bombs in a systematic, widespread manner. Also, the Syrian government, through the crime of willful killing, has violated Article 7 and Article 8 of Rome Statute. In addition, the Syrian government has violated the rules of the international human rights law which guarantee the right to life. Considering that these violations were committed in a non-international armed conflict, they qualify as a war crime.
 
The report notes that barrel bomb attacks are an indiscriminate bombing that targeted defenseless civilians and caused significant damages to protected objects. The damage was too excessive compared to the anticipated military benefit.
 
According to the report, Through the use of poison gases-loaded barrel bombs, the Syrian regime has violated the rules of the customary international humanitarian law. Secondly, the Syrian regime has violated the CWC treaty. Thirdly, the Syrian regime has violated all relevant Security Council resolutions – particularly 2118, 2209, and 2235. In addition, the use of chemical weapons constitutes a war crime according to ICC’s Rome Statute.
 
The report notes that Syrian regime forces have used barrel bombs loaded with incendiary ammunitions without a justification, and without taking any measures to reduce the damages to civilians and civilian facilities.
 
The report calls on the Security Council to ensure the serious implementation of its resolutions. Also, the report calls on the four permanent state members to apply pressure on the Russian government to cease its support for the Syrian regime, while the report adds that an arms embargo should be imposed on the Syrian regime. In addition, the report emphasizes that the case in Syria should be referred to the International Criminal Court, peace and security should be instilled in Syria, and the prosecution of everyone involved in crimes against humanity and war crimes should commence immediately.
 
The report calls on the European Union and the United States of America to support the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism that was established in accordance with General Assembly Resolution 71/248, adopted on December 21, 2016. And establish local tribunals that enjoy a universal jurisdiction, and address the war crimes that were perpetrated in Syria.
In addition, the report says that pressure should be applied on the Syria government to ratify Protocol III of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, and pressure the Syrian government to comply with the Protocol’s restrictions.
 
Also, the report calls on the Commission of Inquiry (COI) and the International, Impartial, and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) to launch investigations on the incidents included in this report and past reports. The report stresses that SNHR is willing to cooperate and provide more evidences and data.
 
In addition, the report calls for the implementation of the “Responsibility to Protect (R2P)” norm, especially after all political channels have been consumed through the Arab League and then Mr. Kofi Annan’s plan, and the Cessation of Hostilities statements and Astana agreements that followed. The report stresses that action should be taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, and the “Responsibility to Protect” norm, which was established by the United Nations General Assembly, should be implemented. The Security Council is still hindering the protection of civilians in Syria.
 

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SNHR has released its monthly report on the use of barrel bombs by Syrian regime forces for the month of April.
 
The report notes that the Syrian regime has used improvised, low-cost, highly-effective weapons in order to kill as many victims as possible and inflict as much wide destruction as possible. Barrel bombs have been one of the most-used improvised weapons since March 2011. The first documented barrel bomb attack, according to the report, was on July 18, 2012 in Dael city, northern Daraa governorate, where five civilians were killed in that attack, including one female child and three women while about eight others were injured.
The report adds that it took the Security Council about a year and a half to adopt resolution 2139 on February 22, 2014, which condemned the use of barrel bombs, However, the Syrian regime is still raining down the areas outside of its control with tens of barrel bombs.
 
The report says that Syrian regime forces have used 25,364 barrel bombs since the start of the Russian intervention on September 30, 2015, despite the promises made by Vitaly Churkin, the former Russian representative to the United Nations, in October 2015 where he said that the Syrian regime would stop bombing with barrel bombs.
 
The report sheds light on the nature of barrel bombs, the methods adopted by the Syrian regime to manufacture them, the types of containers and explosive materials used by the Syrian regime, and the chemical substances, incendiary ammunitions, and metal objects that are added to barrel bombs.
 
This report draws upon the ongoing monitoring of news and development by SNHR team, and accounts by survivors, eyewitnesses, and local media activists, in addition to analyzing a large number of videos and pictures that were posted online or sent by local activists.
 
The report notes that no discernible difference has been recorded between April’s barrel bomb toll and March’s, as Syrian regime forces continued to drop barrel bomb on the areas that are not under their control in order to push the residents of those areas towards forced displacement, which was the case in early-April in Douma city.
The report adds that the offensive, which was in parallel with dropping barrel bombs, shifted to the areas of northern suburbs of Homs, southern suburbs of Hama, and some areas in southern Damascus city for the very same purpose.
The report also documents that poison gases-loaded barrel bombs were used by the Syrian regime in Eastern Ghouta for a second month in a row, as poison gases-loaded barrel bombs were dropped on Douma city on April 7, which resulted in the killing of 41 civilians, who suffocated to death, including 12 children and 15 women.
 
The report says that Syrian regime air force have dropped no less than 2,388 barrel bombs since the start of 2018, where March saw the majority of those barrel bombs, followed by April. The report records that no less than 761 barrel bombs were dropped in April. These barrel bombs resulted in the killing of 59 civilians, including 16 children and 22 women (adult female). Also, barrel bomb attacks resulted in damages to vital civilian facilities, as the report recorded two attacks on a mosque and a medical facility.
 
The report stresses that the Syrian government has violated Security Council resolutions 2139 and 2254, and used barrel bombs in a systematic, widespread manner. Also, the Syrian government, through the crime of willful killing, has violated Article 7 and Article 8 of Rome Statute. In addition, the Syrian government has violated the rules of the international human rights law which guarantee the right to life. Considering that these violations were committed in a non-international armed conflict, they qualify as a war crime.
 
The report notes that barrel bomb attacks are an indiscriminate bombing that targeted defenseless civilians and caused significant damages to protected objects. The damage was too excessive compared to the anticipated military benefit.
 
According to the report, Through the use of poison gases-loaded barrel bombs, the Syrian regime has violated the rules of the customary international humanitarian law. Secondly, the Syrian regime has violated the CWC treaty. Thirdly, the Syrian regime has violated all relevant Security Council resolutions – particularly 2118, 2209, and 2235. In addition, the use of chemical weapons constitutes a war crime according to ICC’s Rome Statute.
 
The report notes that Syrian regime forces have used barrel bombs loaded with incendiary ammunitions without a justification, and without taking any measures to reduce the damages to civilians and civilian facilities.
 
The report calls on the Security Council to ensure the serious implementation of its resolutions. Also, the report calls on the four permanent state members to apply pressure on the Russian government to cease its support for the Syrian regime, while the report adds that an arms embargo should be imposed on the Syrian regime. In addition, the report emphasizes that the case in Syria should be referred to the International Criminal Court, peace and security should be instilled in Syria, and the prosecution of everyone involved in crimes against humanity and war crimes should commence immediately.
 
The report calls on the European Union and the United States of America to support the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism that was established in accordance with General Assembly Resolution 71/248, adopted on December 21, 2016. And establish local tribunals that enjoy a universal jurisdiction, and address the war crimes that were perpetrated in Syria.
In addition, the report says that pressure should be applied on the Syria government to ratify Protocol III of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, and pressure the Syrian government to comply with the Protocol’s restrictions.
 
Also, the report calls on the Commission of Inquiry (COI) and the International, Impartial, and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) to launch investigations on the incidents included in this report and past reports. The report stresses that SNHR is willing to cooperate and provide more evidences and data.
 
In addition, the report calls for the implementation of the “Responsibility to Protect (R2P)” norm, especially after all political channels have been consumed through the Arab League and then Mr. Kofi Annan’s plan, and the Cessation of Hostilities statements and Astana agreements that followed. The report stresses that action should be taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, and the “Responsibility to Protect” norm, which was established by the United Nations General Assembly, should be implemented. The Security Council is still hindering the protection of civilians in Syria.
 

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SNHR has released its monthly report on the use of barrel bombs by Syrian regime forces for the month of March.
 
The report notes that the Syrian regime has used improvised, low-cost, highly-effective weapons in order to kill as many victims as possible and inflict as much wide destruction as possible. Barrel bombs have been one of the most-used improvised weapons since March 2011. The first documented barrel bomb attack, according to the report, was on July 18, 2012 in Dael city, northern Daraa governorate, where five civilians were killed in that attack, including one female child and three women while about eight others were injured.
The report adds that it took the Security Council about a year and a half to adopt resolution 2139 on February 22, 2014, which condemned the use of barrel bombs, However, the Syrian regime is still raining down the areas outside of its control with tens of barrel bombs.
 
The report says that Syrian regime forces have used 24,603 barrel bombs since the start of the Russian intervention on September 30, 2015, despite the promises made by Vitaly Churkin, the former Russian representative to the United Nations, in October 2015 where he said that the Syrian regime would stop bombing with barrel bombs.
 
The report sheds light on the nature of barrel bombs, the methods adopted by the Syrian regime to manufacture them, the types of containers and explosive materials used by the Syrian regime, and the chemical substances, incendiary ammunitions, and metal objects that are added to barrel bombs.
 
This report draws upon the ongoing monitoring of news and development by SNHR team, and accounts by survivors, eyewitnesses, and local media activists, in addition to analyzing a large number of videos and pictures that were posted online or sent by local activists.
 
The report notes that Syrian regime forces continued its heavy use of the improvised weapon of barrel bombs in Eastern Ghouta, Damascus suburbs for the second month. Syrian regime forces have seized control of approximately 80% of the area of Eastern Ghouta, forcibly displacing its residents by the end of March according to the report.
 
The report adds that Eastern Ghouta topped all areas with 712 barrel bombs dropped on it in March, including a poison gas-loaded barrel bomb in Hamouriya town on March 5 that injured 25 civilians, including two civil defense volunteers, who exhibited symptoms that included breathing difficulties.
 
The report says that Syrian regime air force have dropped no less than 1,627 barrel bombs since the start of 2018, where March saw the majority of those barrel bombs, followed by February. The report records that no less than 793 barrel bombs were dropped in March. These barrel bombs resulted in the killing of 55 civilians, including 12 children and 21 women (adult female). Also, barrel bomb attacks resulted in damages to 13 vital civilian facilities, as the report records four attacks on mosques, seven attacks on medical facilities, one attack on a civil defense facility, and one attack on a bakery.
 
The report stresses that the Syrian government has violated Security Council resolutions 2139 and 2254, and used barrel bombs in a systematic, widespread manner. Also, the Syrian government, through the crime of willful killing, has violated Article 7 and Article 8 of Rome Statute. In addition, the Syrian government has violated the rules of the international human rights law which guarantee the right to life. Considering that these violations were committed in a non-international armed conflict, they qualify as a war crime.
 
The report notes that barrel bomb attacks are an indiscriminate bombing that targeted defenseless civilians and caused significant damages to protected objects. The damage was too excessive compared to the anticipated military benefit.
 
According to the report, Through the use of poison gases-loaded barrel bombs, the Syrian regime has violated the rules of the customary international humanitarian law. Secondly, the Syrian regime has violated the CWC treaty. Thirdly, the Syrian regime has violated all relevant Security Council resolutions – particularly 2118, 2209, and 2235. In addition, the use of chemical weapons constitutes a war crime according to ICC’s Rome Statute.
 
The report notes that Syrian regime forces have used barrel bombs loaded with incendiary ammunitions without a justification, and without taking any measures to reduce the damages to civilians and civilian facilities.
 
The report calls on the Security Council to ensure the serious implementation of its resolutions. Also, the report calls on the four permanent state members to apply pressure on the Russian government to cease its support for the Syrian regime, while the report adds that an arms embargo should be imposed on the Syrian regime. In addition, the report emphasizes that the case in Syria should be referred to the International Criminal Court, peace and security should be instilled in Syria, and the prosecution of everyone involved in crimes against humanity and war crimes should commence immediately.
 
The report calls on the European Union and the United States of America to support the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism that was established in accordance with General Assembly Resolution 71/248, adopted on December 21, 2016. And establish local tribunals that enjoy a universal jurisdiction, and address the war crimes that were perpetrated in Syria.
In addition, the report says that pressure should be applied on the Syria government to ratify Protocol III of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, and pressure the Syrian government to comply with the Protocol’s restrictions.
 
Also, the report calls on the Commission of Inquiry (COI) and the International, Impartial, and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) to launch investigations on the incidents included in this report and past reports. The report stresses that SNHR is willing to cooperate and provide more evidences and data.
 
In addition, the report calls for the implementation of the “Responsibility to Protect (R2P)” norm, especially after all political channels have been consumed through the Arab League and then Mr. Kofi Annan’s plan, and the Cessation of Hostilities statements and Astana agreements that followed. The report stresses that action should be taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, and the “Responsibility to Protect” norm, which was established by the United Nations General Assembly, should be implemented. The Security Council is still hindering the protection of civilians in Syria.
 

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SNHR has released its monthly report on the use of barrel bombs by Syrian regime forces for the month of February.
 
The report notes that the Syrian regime has used improvised, low-cost, highly-effective weapons in order to kill as many victims as possible and inflict as much wide destruction as possible. Barrel bombs have been one of the most-used improvised weapons since March 2011. The first documented barrel bomb attack, according to the report, was on July 18, 2012 in Dael city, northern Daraa governorate, where five civilians were killed in that attack, including one female child and three women while about eight others were injured.
The report adds that it took the Security Council about a year and a half to adopt resolution 2139 on February 22, 2014, which condemned the use of barrel bombs, However, the Syrian regime is still raining down the areas outside of its control with tens of barrel bombs.
 
The report says that Syrian regime forces have used 23,810 barrel bombs since the start of the Russian intervention on September 30, 2015, despite the promises made by Vitaly Churkin, the former Russian representative to the United Nations, in October 2015 where he said that the Syrian regime would stop bombing with barrel bombs.
 
The report sheds light on the nature of barrel bombs, the methods adopted by the Syrian regime to manufacture them, the types of containers and explosive materials used by the Syrian regime, and the chemical substances, incendiary ammunitions, and metal objects that are added to barrel bombs.
 
This report draws upon the ongoing monitoring of news and development by SNHR team, and accounts by survivors, eyewitnesses, and local media activists, in addition to analyzing a large number of videos and pictures that were posted online or sent by local activists.
 
The report notes that the Syrian regime used barrel bombs on Eastern Ghouta, Damascus suburbs, for the first time since June 2016, as Eastern Ghouta saw the most barrel bombs in February with 297 barrel bombs, followed by Idlib governorate with 72 barrel bombs, including two poison gas-loaded barrel bombs, according to the report, that were dropped by helicopters in an attack on Saraqeb city on February 4, where 11 civilians were injured in that attack.
 
The report outlines the toll of barrel bombs in February, where Syrian regime forces dropped no less than 407 barrel bombs that resulted in the killing of 28 civilians, including 10 children and four women (adult female). Also, barrel bomb attacks resulted in damages to 13 vital civilian facilities, as the report records three attacks on mosques, eight attacks on medical facilities, one attack on a civil defense facility, and one attack on a bakery.
 
The report stresses that the Syrian government has violated Security Council resolutions 2139 and 2254, and used barrel bombs in a systematic, widespread manner. Also, the Syrian government, through the crime of willful killing, has violated Article 7 and Article 8 of Rome Statute. In addition, the Syrian government has violated the rules of the international human rights law which guarantee the right to life. Considering that these violations were committed in a non-international armed conflict, they qualify as a war crime.
 
The report notes that barrel bomb attacks are an indiscriminate bombing that targeted defenseless civilians and caused significant damages to protected objects. The damage was too excessive compared to the anticipated military benefit.
 
According to the report, Through the use of poison gases-loaded barrel bombs, the Syrian regime has violated the rules of the customary international humanitarian law. Secondly, the Syrian regime has violated the CWC treaty. Thirdly, the Syrian regime has violated all relevant Security Council resolutions – particularly 2118, 2209, and 2235. In addition, the use of chemical weapons constitutes a war crime according to ICC’s Rome Statute.
 
The report notes that Syrian regime forces have used barrel bombs loaded with incendiary ammunitions without a justification, and without taking any measures to reduce the damages to civilians and civilian facilities.
 
The report calls on the Security Council to ensure the serious implementation of its resolutions. Also, the report calls on the four permanent state members to apply pressure on the Russian government to cease its support for the Syrian regime, while the report adds that an arms embargo should be imposed on the Syrian regime. In addition, the report emphasizes that the case in Syria should be referred to the International Criminal Court, peace and security should be instilled in Syria, and the prosecution of everyone involved in crimes against humanity and war crimes should commence immediately.
 
The report calls on the European Union and the United States of America to support the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism that was established in accordance with General Assembly Resolution 71/248, adopted on December 21, 2016. And establish local tribunals that enjoy a universal jurisdiction, and address the war crimes that were perpetrated in Syria.
In addition, the report says that pressure should be applied on the Syria government to ratify Protocol III of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, and pressure the Syrian government to comply with the Protocol’s restrictions.
 
Also, the report calls on the Commission of Inquiry (COI) and the International, Impartial, and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) to launch investigations on the incidents included in this report and past reports. The report stresses that SNHR is willing to cooperate and provide more evidences and data.
 
In addition, the report calls for the implementation of the “Responsibility to Protect (R2P)” norm, especially after all political channels have been consumed through the Arab League and then Mr. Kofi Annan’s plan, and the Cessation of Hostilities statements and Astana agreements that followed. The report stresses that action should be taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, and the “Responsibility to Protect” norm, which was established by the United Nations General Assembly, should be implemented. The Security Council is still hindering the protection of civilians in Syria.
 

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SNHR has released its monthly report on the use of barrel bombs by Syrian regime forces for the month of January.
 
The report notes that the Syrian regime has used improvised, low-cost, highly-effective weapons in order to kill as many victims as possible and inflict as much wide destruction as possible. Barrel bombs have been one of the most-used improvised weapons since March 2011. The first documented barrel bomb attack, according to the report, was on July 18, 2012 in Dael city, northern Daraa governorate, where five civilians were killed in that attack, including one female child and three women while about eight others were injured.
 
The report adds that it took the Security Council about a year and a half to adopt resolution 2139 on February 22, 2014, which condemned the use of barrel bombs, However, the Syrian regime is still raining down the areas outside of its control with tens of barrel bombs.
 
The report says that Syrian regime forces have used 23,403 barrel bombs since the start of the Russian intervention on September 30, 2015, despite the promises made by Vitaly Churkin, the former Russian representative to the United Nations, in October 2015 where he said that the Syrian regime would stop bombing with barrel bombs.
 
The report sheds light on the nature of barrel bombs, the methods adopted by the Syrian regime to manufacture them, the types of containers and explosive materials used by the Syrian regime, and the chemical substances, incendiary ammunitions, and metal objects that are added to barrel bombs.
 
This report draws upon the ongoing monitoring of news and development by SNHR team, and accounts by survivors, eyewitnesses, and local media activists, in addition to analyzing a large number of videos and pictures that were posted online or sent by local activists.
 
The report records a rise in the number of barrel bombs dropped on Idlib governorate, as part of the Syrian regime’s offensive in the governorate. The report also records the use of this weapon in Aleppo governorate for the first time in months.
 
The report outlines the toll of barrel bombs in January, where Syrian regime forces dropped no less than 427 barrel bombs that resulted in the killing of 16 civilians, including four children and three women (adult female). Also, barrel bomb attacks resulted in damages to four vital civilian facilities: one mosque, one school, one institute, and one industrial facility.
 
The report stresses that the Syrian government has violated Security Council resolutions 2139 and 2254, and used barrel bombs in a systematic, widespread manner. Also, the Syrian government, through the crime of willful killing, has violated Article 7 and Article 8 of Rome Statute. In addition, the Syrian government has violated the rules of the international human rights law which guarantee the right to life. Considering that these violations were committed in a non-international armed conflict, they qualify as a war crime.
 
The report notes that barrel bomb attacks are an indiscriminate bombing that targeted defenseless civilians and caused significant damages to protected objects. The damage was too excessive compared to the anticipated military benefit.
 
According to the report, Through the use of poison gases-loaded barrel bombs, the Syrian regime has violated the rules of the customary international humanitarian law. Secondly, the Syrian regime has violated the CWC treaty. Thirdly, the Syrian regime has violated all relevant Security Council resolutions – particularly 2118, 2209, and 2235. In addition, the use of chemical weapons constitutes a war crime according to ICC’s Rome Statute.
 
The report notes that Syrian regime forces have used barrel bombs loaded with incendiary ammunitions without a justification, and without taking any measures to reduce the damages to civilians and civilian facilities.
 
The report calls on the Security Council to ensure the serious implementation of its resolutions. Also, the report calls on the four permanent state members to apply pressure on the Russian government to cease its support for the Syrian regime, while the report adds that an arms embargo should be imposed on the Syrian regime. In addition, the report emphasizes that the case in Syria should be referred to the International Criminal Court, peace and security should be instilled in Syria, and the prosecution of everyone involved in crimes against humanity and war crimes should commence immediately.
 
The report calls on the European Union and the United States of America to support the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism that was established in accordance with General Assembly Resolution 71/248, adopted on December 21, 2016. And establish local tribunals that enjoy a universal jurisdiction, and address the war crimes that were perpetrated in Syria.
In addition, the report says that pressure should be applied on the Syria government to ratify Protocol III of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, and pressure the Syrian government to comply with the Protocol’s restrictions.
 
Also, the report calls on the Commission of Inquiry (COI) and the International, Impartial, and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) to launch investigations on the incidents included in this report and past reports. The report stresses that SNHR is willing to cooperate and provide more evidences and data.
 
In addition, the report calls for the implementation of the “Responsibility to Protect (R2P)” norm, especially after all political channels have been consumed through the Arab League and then Mr. Kofi Annan’s plan, and the Cessation of Hostilities statements and Astana agreements that followed. The report stresses that action should be taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, and the “Responsibility to Protect” norm, which was established by the United Nations General Assembly, should be implemented. The Security Council is still hindering the protection of civilians in Syria.
 

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SNHR has published its monthly report on the use of barrel bombs by Syrian regime forces for the month December. The report documents that no less than 6,243 barrel bombs were dropped by Syrian regime warplanes on Syria in 2017.
 
The report notes that a comprehensive ceasefire was announced from the Turkish capital Ankara under a Russian-Turkish sponsorship on December 30, 2016. The signing parties, the Syrian regime on one side and armed opposition factions on the other side, agreed to cease all armed attacks in the majority of the Syrian region. The military areas controlled by ISIS (self-proclaimed the Islamic State) were excluded from the agreement.
 
The report adds that Ankara Ceasefire Agreement was followed by seven rounds of talks that were held in Astana, Kazakhstan’s capital, between Russian, Turkish, and Iranian representatives as the states who sponsored Ankara Ceasefire Agreement. These rounds -the most recent of which was on October 30-31, 2017- discussed mostly, in parallel with a number of local agreements, ways to further establish de-escalation zones in Idlib governorate and the surrounding areas (parts of Aleppo, Hama, and Latakia governorates), northern Homs governorate, Eastern Ghouta, and parts of Daraa and Quneitra governorates in south Syria. Additionally, the talks addressed ways to deliver humanitarian aids and enable IDPs to return to those areas.
Since these agreements went into effect, the included areas saw a relatively good and noticeable drop in killing rates in relation to the past months since March 2011. Nonetheless, breaches didn’t stop, mainly by the Syrian regime, who is seemingly the party that would be most affected should the ceasefire go on, and in particular extrajudicial killing crimes and, more horrendously, deaths due to torture. This strongly asserts that there is a ceasefire of some sort on the table, but the crimes that the international community -especially the guarantors- won’t see are still going on as nothing had changed.
 
The report stresses that Syrian-Russian alliance have initiated a vicious offensive against Eastern Ghouta on the 14th of last November despite a de-escalation agreement that was reached in Eastern Ghouta between Jaish al Islam, an armed opposition faction, and Russian forces under an Egyptian sponsorship on Saturday, July 22, 2017, and was followed by a similar agreement with Failaq al Rahman faction that established the faction’s inclusion in the de-escalation zone in Eastern Ghouta on Wednesday, August 16, 2017.
 
The report notes that a barrel bomb is a distinctively indiscriminate weapon with huge destructive impact. Therefore, the barrel bomb doesn’t only kill civilians but also terrorizes and displaces residents in light of the destruction it creates. Dropping barrel bombs from warplanes in this savage and primitive manner amount to a war crime. Every barrel bomb dropped is considered a war crime.
 
Furthermore, the report notes that barrel bombs were used notably for the first time on Monday 1 April 2012 against the residents of Salqin city. Also, the barrel bomb is a locally-made weapon which is used by Syrian regime forces due to the fact that it is costs notably less than missiles and it has a huge destructive impact. Barrel bombs are a distinctively indiscriminate weapon that even if it killed an armed man, this would be an accident as 99% of the victims killed by barrel bombs are civilians, and the percentage of women and children victims varies between 12% to 35% in some cases.
 
Vitaly Churkin, the former Russian representative to the United Nations, said that the Syrian regime has stopped using barrel bombs. However, the daily monitoring and documentation conducted by SNHR prove, beyond any doubt, otherwise as the Syrian regime continues to kill and destroy Syria by dropping hundreds of barrel bombs.
 
The report says that 6,243 barrel bombs were dropped in 2017. Daraa governorate saw the majority of barrel bombs, followed by Damascus suburbs, Hama, and then Aleppo.
According to the report, these barrel bombs resulted in the killing of 130 civilians, including 55 children and 32 women (adult female) in 2017. In addition, no less than 22 vital civilian facilities were damaged in barrel bomb attacks, including seven mosques and five medical facilities.
 
Also, the report records that no less than 312 barrel bombs were dropped in December, most of which were dropped on Idlib, followed by Hama.
 
According to the report, these barrel bombs resulted in the killing of 20 civilians, including six children and eight women. In addition, no less than eight vital civilian facilities were damaged in barrel bomb attacks: three mosques, two schools, one medical facility, one civil defense facility, and one official headquarter.
 
The report emphasizes that the Syrian government has, beyond any doubt, violated Security Council Resolution 2139, and used barrel bombs in a widespread and systematic manner and violated, through the crime of murder, Article 7 of the Rome Statute in a widespread and systematic manner as well, which constitutes crimes against humanity. Additionally, the Syrian government violated many rules of the international humanitarian law by perpetrating tens of crimes that amount to war crimes which manifested in the indiscriminate and random bombardment that was also disproportionate due to the use of excessive force.
 
The report calls on the Security Council to insure the serious implementation of its Resolutions. These Resolutions have become merely words and, thus, the Security Council has lost all of its credibility and purpose.
 
Also, the report demands that an arms embargo is imposed on the Syrian government, and all those who are supplying the Syrian government with funding and weapon should be prosecuted considering the risk that these weapons might be used to commit crimes and serious violations of human rights.
 

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SNHR has published its monthly report on the use of barrel bombs by Syrian regime forces for the month of November.
 
The report notes that a comprehensive ceasefire was announced from the Turkish capital Ankara under a Russian-Turkish sponsorship on December 30, 2016. The signing parties, the Syrian regime on one side and armed opposition factions on the other side, agreed to cease all armed attacks in the majority of the Syrian region. The military areas controlled by ISIS (self-proclaimed the Islamic State) were excluded from the agreement.
 
The report adds that Ankara Ceasefire Agreement was followed by seven rounds of talks that were held in Astana, Kazakhstan’s capital, between Russian, Turkish, and Iranian representatives as the states who sponsored Ankara Ceasefire Agreement. These rounds -the most recent of which was on October 30-31, 2017- discussed mostly, in parallel with a number of local agreements, ways to further establish de-escalation zones in Idlib governorate and the surrounding areas (parts of Aleppo, Hama, and Latakia governorates), northern Homs governorate, Eastern Ghouta, and parts of Daraa and Quneitra governorates in south Syria. Additionally, the talks addressed ways to deliver humanitarian aids and enable IDPs to return to those areas.
Since these agreements went into effect, the included areas saw a relatively good and noticeable drop in killing rates in relation to the past months since March 2011. Nonetheless, breaches didn’t stop, mainly by the Syrian regime, who is seemingly the party that would be most affected should the ceasefire go on, and in particular extrajudicial killing crimes and, more horrendously, deaths due to torture. This strongly asserts that there is a ceasefire of some sort on the table, but the crimes that the international community -especially the guarantors- won’t see are still going on as nothing had changed.
 
The report stresses that Syrian-Russian alliance have initiated a vicious offensive against Eastern Ghouta on the 14th of last November despite a de-escalation agreement that was reached in Eastern Ghouta between Jaish al Islam, an armed opposition faction, and Russian forces under an Egyptian sponsorship on Saturday, July 22, 2017, and was followed by a similar agreement with Failaq al Rahman faction that established the faction’s inclusion in the de-escalation zone in Eastern Ghouta on Wednesday, August 16, 2017.
 
The report says that the Syrian regime continues to drop barrel bombs in November at the same rate as October. For the third month in a row, the Syrian regime concentrated its barrel bomb attacks in Damascus suburbs as nearly 86% of all barrel bombs were dropped there.
 
The report notes that a barrel bomb is a distinctively indiscriminate weapon with huge destructive impact. Therefore, the barrel bomb doesn’t only kill civilians but also terrorizes and displaces residents in light of the destruction it creates. Dropping barrel bombs from warplanes in this savage and primitive manner amount to a war crime. Every barrel bomb dropped is considered a war crime.
 
Furthermore, the report notes that barrel bombs were used notably for the first time on Monday 1 April 2012 against the residents of Salqin city. Also, the barrel bomb is a locally-made weapon which is used by Syrian regime forces due to the fact that it is costs notably less than missiles and it has a huge destructive impact. Barrel bombs are a distinctively indiscriminate weapon that even if it killed an armed man, this would be an accident as 99% of the victims killed by barrel bombs are civilians, and the percentage of women and children victims varies between 12% to 35% in some cases.
 
Vitaly Churkin, the former Russian representative to the United Nations, said that the Syrian regime has stopped using barrel bombs. However, the daily monitoring and documentation conducted by SNHR prove, beyond any doubt, otherwise as the Syrian regime continues to kill and destroy Syria by dropping hundreds of barrel bombs.
 
The report says that 5,931 barrel bombs have been dropped since the start of 2017. Also, the report records that no less than 613 barrel bombs were dropped in November, most of which were dropped in Damascus suburbs, followed by Deir Ez-Zour and then Hama.
According to the report, barrel bomb attacks resulted in damages to one vital civilian facility (an IDPs camp).
 
The report emphasizes that the Syrian government has, beyond any doubt, violated Security Council Resolution 2139, and used barrel bombs in a widespread and systematic manner and violated, through the crime of murder, Article 7 of the Rome Statute in a widespread and systematic manner as well, which constitutes crimes against humanity. Additionally, the Syrian government violated many rules of the international humanitarian law by perpetrating tens of crimes that amount to war crimes which manifested in the indiscriminate and random bombardment that was also disproportionate due to the use of excessive force.
 
The report calls on the Security Council to insure the serious implementation of its Resolutions. These Resolutions have become merely words and, thus, the Security Council has lost all of its credibility and purpose.
 
Also, the report demands that an arms embargo is imposed on the Syrian government, and all those who are supplying the Syrian government with funding and weapon should be prosecuted considering the risk that these weapons might be used to commit crimes and serious violations of human rights.
 

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