A/HRC/22/59 14. The same interviewees described the Air Force’s failure to take measures to avoid civilian casualties in their targeting of civilian areas. Airstrikes were directly targeted at populated areas. Loss of civilian life was reportedly expected, and at times intended. No warnings were given to the civilian population, nor were any other precautions in attack taken. One interviewee described how areas in which the armed groups operated or where people had previously demonstrated against the regime, were viewed as an incubator of the insurgency and thus targetable. The Air Force targeted these areas, he stated, “as a kind of punishment.” The aerial bombardment and shelling of civilian areas and objects, such as densely populated areas, farms, commercial areas and civilian vehicles, was intentional, aiming to force civilian residents of an area to ask anti-Government armed groups to leave their area. Civilian vehicles entering or departing opposition-held areas were targeted as they were considered suspicious and possibly transporting fighters or supplies for antiGovernment armed groups. The commission recalls that the intentional targeting of civilians is a war crime. 15. Aleppo has been divided between Government forces and anti-Government armed groups, with both parties positioning snipers on top of buildings and at the entry to main roads to control the movement of people. The majority of interviewees injured by sniper fire stated that they had been hit by Government snipers. This belief stemmed from their having been struck by bullets that were fired from the direction of visible military bases and, in one instance, from snipers on top of a government hospital. In such instances, the conduct of the persons was such that they should have been presumed to be civilians. Interviewees who were in Aleppo during the reporting period described how snipers targeted people passing certain areas, regardless of whether they were fighters or civilians. Dar Al-Shifa hospital in Aleppo received persons, including women and children, whose injuries were typical of sniper fire. 16. The firing on an individual by a sniper is inherently deliberate and targeted. There is a reasonable basis to believe that the firing on civilians by snipers constitute attacks that are, at the very least, indiscriminate as to their target, and were carried out recklessly, or the deliberate targeting of civilians as the object of the attack. Patterns of sniping continue to be investigated. Andan 17. The town of Mia’arat Al-Artiq near Andan was heavily shelled on a daily basis in early September by mortar fire from Jamiat Al-Zahraa, an army base. In interviews, former residents of the town described the fear experienced by civilians hiding from the incessant mortar fire and the devastation that the shelling caused, killing and injuring civilians who were looking for shelter following the destruction of their homes. 18. The shelling of Andan from Jamiat Al-Zahraa continued from late September into late October. Interviewees provided the names of persons killed by shrapnel from mortar fire while at home or attempting to evacuate their families. 19. Information collected indicates that the attacks carried out on Andan did not distinguish between civilian and military objectives. The Syrian military forces carrying out the attacks did not assess whether their conduct would cause excessive incidental loss of life, in violation of customary principles of international humanitarian law. Azaz 20. In the afternoon of 15 August, the town of Azaz was subjected to heavy aerial bombardment from two fighter jets. The aerial bombardment caused the deaths of tens of civilians, many of whom were children and elderly persons. Dozens of residential homes 90 GE.13-10627