New Massacres in Homs and Ar-Raqqah

Another day marked by the bloody and severe violence perpetrated by the Syrian regime, in which the number of victims have exceeded (up to midday) 140 civilians, mostly killed in Homs and its suburbs, Ar-Raqqah, Damascus and its suburbs and Aleppo and its suburbs.

In the city of Talbisah which lies 10km north of Homs, 26 civilians were killed as a result of the heavy air bombardment which the city was exposed to, and in which highly explosive barrels were dropped onto the city. In addition, the cities of al-Rastan and al-Qusair, as well as the villages of al-Farhaniah and al-Za’faranah were all subjected to heavy shelling which led to the killing and injury of civilians, the number of which is not yet documented.

In the village of Ain Issa, close to Ar-Raqqah (North Syria), 30 civilians were killed and more than 40 injured due to deliberate air bombardment on civilian homes, in which highly explosive TNT barrels were used.

It was reported in urgent news which reached us that 70 civilians were killed as a result of the bombing of a petrol station in the city of Ar-Raqqah.

Moreover, seven burnt bodies, killed by the Syrian regime forces yesterday, were discovered today in al-Arba’een neighbourhood in Hama.
In the city of al-Bab, rural Aleppo, at least 5 civilians were killed due to the release of highly explosive barrels from war planes on civilian homes in the city. The search for victims under the rubble is still ongoing.
The regime forces also attacked the Yarmouk camp in rural Damascus, killing 9 Palestinian brothers living in the camp, and detaining approximately 100.

Today, the war planes of the Syrian regime are allowed to roam the skies of Syria and throw highly explosive TNT barrels, causing death, destruction, burning, and critical injuries, whilst the Arab and international community is busy searching for solutions to the war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide being committed, without taking any decisive measures to stop the killing of civilians or guaranteeing their safety. The international community and United Nations have drastically failed in guaranteeing the protection and safety of civilians, and bringing the perpetrators of these war crimes to the international court.

The Syrian Human Rights Committee (SHRC) calls upon the United Nations to deliver the role for which it was created, and to take immediate action and measurements to stop air bombardment upon civilians and their homes in Syria, to put an end to the release of TNT barrels, as well as the targeting of children, women, the elderly, and the youth in an arbitrary manner, and the deliberate targeting of bakeries. Its worth to note that the number of civilians killed by the Syrian regime and its Shabiha gangs is approaching 35,000 Syrian citizens.

Syrian Human Rights Committee
20/9/2012