A/HRC/27/60 bodies from the rubble stated that all the victims were civilians and that there was no presence of armed fighters in the area. A resident stated that “if they wanted to hit a house, they would destroy the whole neighbourhood,” suggesting a punitive element to the attacks. Hawsh Arab, Rif Damascus, late March 2014 7. In late March, a helicopter dropped a barrel bomb on a house in Hawsh Arab, causing its total destruction and killing two women and four children. According to surviving relatives, there were no armed group fighters present in the house or its vicinity as armed groups were positioned in the hills and mountains around the village. Former residents of Hawsh Arab stated that the aerial bombardment of civilians was intended to cause their displacement as part of a scorched earth policy to prepare the area for a ground assault. Aleppo governorate Al-Sukkari district, Aleppo city, 18 January 2014 8. At approximately 3pm, a Government helicopter dropped three consecutive barrel bombs on a street intersection in Al-Sukkari district. An alley of 20 residential buildings was affected by the attack, sustaining extensive damage. A victim of the attack, a 15-yearold boy, described how he was with his brother, three of his cousins and a friend in front of his house when they heard a hovering helicopter. His 15-year-old cousin was killed in the attack, in addition to a reported 30 civilians including women and children. Qadi Askar, Aleppo city, 30 January 2014 9. A barrel bomb was dropped on a residential neighbourhood in Qadi Askar, landing 50 metres away from the Sa’ad Alla al Jabry School, killing 16 civilians including women and children, and maiming dozens more. The attack caused extensive destruction of residential and commercial buildings. Armed groups stationed in Qadi Askar were located over 300 metres from the site of the attack. Tariq Al-Bab, Aleppo city, 2 February 2014 10. At 9am, a Government helicopter dropped two barrel bombs near a mosque in Tariq Al-Bab next to Al-Halwaneya roundabout. Another barrel bomb was dropped shortly thereafter, killing 10 people including women and children. A victim of such attacks stated, “the attacks happen at prayer time on Friday because they know that is where people go at that time.” A doctor who treated victims of the attack at a field hospital in Aleppo stated that he saw no armed group fighters among the killed or injured. According to residents of Tariq Al-Bab, there are no armed group bases or checkpoints located near the AlHalwaneya roundabout. Al-Sukkari district, Aleppo city, 4 February 2014 11. On 4 February, two barrel bombs were dropped on civilian objects in Al-Sukkari district. The first barrel bomb hit a five-storey residential building, causing its collapse. At the same time, a barrel bomb hit a vegetable market. The attacks killed at least 5 people, all civilians and wounded countless others. This attack was part of an intensive period of bombardment on Aleppo from 1 to 5 February, which resulted in hundreds of civilians killed, including dozens of children. A mass exodus of civilians from Al-Sukkari and other eastern districts of Aleppo followed. Masakin Hanano, Aleppo city, 4 February 2014 12. On 4 February, a Government helicopter dropped a barrel bomb on Masakin Hanano, hitting two residential buildings and a mosque. The attack killed 12 people, most of whom were children attending religious classes at the mosque. The attack followed a pattern of barrel bombs hitting soft targets in Masakin Hanano in early February, including 32