Increasingly Coalition, Russian, Syrian, and Iraqi warplanes target the province of Deir Ezzor, eventually, this makes the civilians in the eye of the storm and that what we witnessed during the past days as dozens of victims fell. This what appears in many areas that were targeted in Syria, additionally, in Mosul in the past months, which forced them flee to other Syrian areas.
Hence, the campaign ” Dust pf Warplanes” sheds the light on the risks that civilians have faced and will face in Deir Ezzor province throughout the increasing aerial bombardment and soon when the battle with “Islamic State” starts. This will make the civilians pay a high double price as sky will punish them through warplanes along with the suppression that is practiced by “Islamic State” group.
This campaign comes after the catastrophic results that civilians of Mosul have suffered from shelling, killing, and destruction. This led to an influx of displacement from Mosul to Deir Ezzor. Moreover, the expected military operation on Al Raqqa province, which started with the massacre of Al Mansoura, will lead to grave consequences and will force them to look for safe areas. It is expected that Deir Ezzor will be the last destination for those civilians, and consequently will result in overpopulation in the province, let alone the overcrowding that already exist.
One of the most important reasons that Justice for Life launches the campaign of “Dust of Warplanes” is to sound the alarm and draw attention to what may take place in Deir Ezzor province as the aerial bombardment is increasing, bearing in mind what is currently happening in Mosul and Al Raqqa.
What civilians witness in northeastern Syria made the OHCHR pay greater attention and sheds the light on the bleeding wound of the civilians in those areas. The OHCHR confirmed in the statement that was issued on May 26th 2017 “Civilians in Syria are increasingly paying the price as counter-ISIL airstrikes escalate while ISIL cracks down on those in and around areas remaining under its control”.
the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein urged “all States’ air forces operating in the country to take much greater care to distinguish between legitimate military targets and civilians”. “The same civilians who are suffering indiscriminate shelling and summary executions by ISIL, are also falling victim to the escalating airstrikes, particularly in the northeastern governorates of Al-Raqqa and Deir-ez-Zor,”
“Unfortunately, scant attention is being paid by the outside world to the appalling predicament of the civilians trapped in these areas,” he added.
Therefore, Justice for Life demands to spare the civilians from aerial bombardment and to open safe corridors to them along with cessation of indiscriminate attacks on populated areas, civilian objects, and vital utilities and to distinguish between the military legitimate targets and civilians.
Justice for Life Organization
29/5/2017
