Syrian opposition accuses Russia of using incendiary bombs in Syria

Syrian opposition accuses Russia of using incendiary bombs in Syria

The Syrian opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) called on United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday to launch an investigation into its accusations that Russia has repeatedly used air-delivered incendiary weapons in Syria.

“Russian air forces have repeatedly deployed incendiary weapons and cluster munitions to kill, main and terrorise Syrian civilians, including in at least 10 documented incidents,” Riad Hijab, coordinator of the opposition HNC, wrote to Ban.

“They have violated the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons and breached international humanitarian law,” he wrote.

Hijab said that “thermite, which ignites while falling, has been likened to ’mini-nuclear bombs’ and was deployed repeatedly by Russian forces in residential areas.” He also said Russian forces used cluster munitions.

Russia deployed warplanes to Syria in September last year to support Assad against the Syrian opposition.

Incendiary weapons use substances that are designed to set fire to objects or burn people, and cluster munitions are containers that explode in the air to distribute smaller bombs over a large area. Both are banned under the convention.


Read More: Russian jets attack Aleppo with Napalm and white phosphorus


Russia uses napalm against civilians

Russian warplanes launched, Tuesday morning, tens of air raids on the cities and towns of Aleppo’s northern and western countrysides using the internationally-prohibited cluster bombs, Napalm bombs, and white phosphorus, activists reported.

7 Russian warplanes took turns in bombing the towns and cities of Anadan, Hreitan, Maret al-Arteeq, Kafr Hamra, Yaqed al-Adas, Babees, and al-Mallah, to the north and west of Aleppo city, with more than 50 air raids, resulting in mass destruction and huge fires.

Activists published a video footage which showed the moment the bombs fell, the flames of the bombs, and the moment they hit the ground, causing massive explosions and fires.

In a similar context, Russian helicopters dropped, today, 2 barrel bombs on al-Mashhad neighborhood, leading to the death of 2 civilians and the injury of others.

Meanwhile, Assad regime’s artillery and jets killed 3 civilians and injured many after continuously targeting al-Castello Road.