UN CoI: Assad Regime’s Airstrikes on Red Crescent Amount to “War Crime”
The Assad regime’s airstrikes on the headquarters of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) in the city of Idlib on February constitute a war crime by intentionally targeting humanitarian relief objects and humanitarian relief personnel, the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria said in a report released on Monday.
Given the building’s longstanding use as a SARC headquarters and the fact that it was identifiable from the air due to markings on its roof indicate that the perpetrators of the attack intended to deliberately target the building and the SARC staff within, the Commission said.
The report added that the attack also resulted in the denial of humanitarian aid in relation to the services provided at that center.
The report also cited the horrific attack on the United Nations/ SARC convoy on 19 September near the town of Orum Alqubra in western rural Aleppo. Multiple airstrikes and barrel bomb attacks targeted the convoy destined to civilians who were trapped in eastern Aleppo. The attack left 12 people killed, mostly SARC volunteers, and destroyed around 20 aid trucks. The victims included the SARC Director Omar Barakat.
In a statement following the attack, the SARC condemned the repeated targeting of its centers and staff workers. It called for stopping attacks on workers holding the SARC emblem to allow them carry out their humanitarian work in all areas across Syria. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department + Agencies)