OHCHR: Monstrous disregard for civilian lives in Syria as hospitals, markets bombed

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Friday said the latest reports of civilian deaths and injuries, including bombings of Syrian marketplaces and medical facilities, revealed a “monstrous disregard for civilian lives by all parties to the conflict,” and urged all sides to step back from a return to all-out war, OHCHR said on its official website.

“Reports are coming in from Aleppo, Homs, Damascus and Rural Damascus, Idleb and Deir ez-Zour of mounting civilian casualties,” Zeid said. “In Idleb last week, on 19 April, bombs were reportedly dropped in a vegetable market in Maarat al-Nu’man, the busiest area in town, during the busiest part of the day, killing at least 44 people and destroying dozens of shops. In the town of Kafr Nabel, bombs were again dropped on a market in the busiest area of the town, narrowly missing an after-school centre containing 50 children aged 6 to 10.”

“In the opposition-controlled part of Aleppo over the past few days, pro-Government aircraft have destroyed a key hospital and other medical facilities reportedly killing a number of medical personnel, including the only remaining paediatrician in the area, as well as many patients. In the Government-controlled part of Aleppo, another hospital was struck and many civilians killed in attacks launched in a number of neighborhoods.”

The High Commissioner said the UN Human Rights Office has over the years documented numerous attacks on hospitals and other medical facilities as well numerous strikes on marketplaces during busy shopping times — which, depending on the circumstances, may amount to war crimes.

“Urgent action is needed by all relevant actors to ensure the protection of civilians and their right to life, and to fight the impunity that has done so much to encourage the multitude of horrendous breaches of international humanitarian law and international human rights law that have taken place in Syria over the past five years,” Zeid stressed.

The High Commissioner urged the international community to address the terrible suffering of the Syrian people with the resolve that has been so absent for so long. “The cessation of hostilities and the Geneva talks were the only game in town, and if they are abandoned now, I dread to think how much more horror we will see in Syria,” he said.

Source : MENA