A/HRC/37/72 Annex IV Erosion of civilian infrastructure 1. Since the inception of the conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic, attacks against civilian and protected objects have been a near constant feature, in violation of international humanitarian law. Places of worship, civil defence centres, homes, bakeries, markets, and to a lesser extent, schools, have regularly been made the object of attack by all warring parties. A. Hospitals 2. On 19 September, pro-Government forces launched an aerial attack against alRahma hospital in Khan Sheikhoun (Idlib), where around 80 patients were being treated. Al-Rahma is a “cave hospital” on the outskirts of Khan Sheikhoun, which was previously attacked on 4 April while treating victims of a sarin attack carried out by Government forces (A/HRC/36/55, annex II, paras. 17). Between approximately 10:00 and 10:15 a.m., two airstrikes were launched; though the first did not cause extensive damage, the second struck the hospital’s entrance, completely destroying an ambulance reception area, as well as three ambulances. The strike also hit the warehouse of the hospital, causing a fire, and damaging vital trauma unit equipment. As jets continued to circulate, rescue efforts were put on hold for a further ten minutes until clear skies could be confirmed. Witnesses recalled noticing an unusual number of flights over Khan Sheikhoun that morning, and therefore evacuated the hospital in anticipation of a possible attack. As such, no casualties were endured. At 3:00 p.m., a primary care clinic in Khan Sheikhoun was also attacked. 3. The walls of al-Rahma cave further cracked due to the force of the blasts. Images and video footage of the aftermath of the attack show widespread bomb damage from blast weapons of varying sizes, including the tail section of an unguided OFAB 100-120 blast bomb, consistent with bombs used by both the Syrian and Russian air forces. 4. On the same day, just before noon, pro-Government forces launched an aerial attack against al-Rahman Charity Hospital, an obstetrics hospital in Tah village (Idlib). Approximately 30 individuals were present at the hospital at the time, including 12 inpatient children receiving treatment and whom their mothers were accompanying. Six babies were in incubators, while an additional 40 patients remained outside receiving clinical services. 5. The first bomb damaged the south-eastern corner of the hospital, which served as a children’s ward, and further destroyed a section for incubators. The second-floor extension to the hospital collapsed, while a pharmacy including medicine stocks were severely damaged. Generators and electricity supplies also sustained severe damage. Outside, one ambulance and two private vehicles were damaged. Photos of remnants indicate that the airstrikes were carried out using multiple blast weapons, and the damage sustained is consistent with unguided OFAB aerial bombs used by both Syrian and Russian forces. 6. Approximately ten minutes before the airstrikes took place, staff at the hospital received warnings of a possible attack from a civilian observatory, and were able to evacuate the vast majority of staff and patients. One female hospital cleaner was immediately killed as a result of the attack, however, and the hospital’s male administrative manager suffered an arm injury. B. Schools 7. On the night of 20 to 21 March, at approximately 11 p.m., an airstrike hit the AlBadiya school in Al-Mansoura (Raqqah) killing at least 150 persons. Al-Badiya school, located approximately 1.5 kilometres from the village, was a large, isolated, three-storey building, save for a few houses and tents in the vicinity. The area was controlled by ISIL at 32

Select target paragraph3

Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents