Baladi News – (Ahmad Abdul Haq)
The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) documented the death toll of the massacres committed by the parties to the Syrian conflict in the first half of 2017. There have been 188 massacres in the first half of 2017 – 61 massacres at the hands of Syrian regime forces, 58 massacres at the hands of international coalition forces, 31 massacres at the hands of Russian forces, 15 massacres at the hands of ISIS, four massacres at the hands of Kurdish Self-Management forces, and 19 massacres at the hands of other parties.
According to the report, Syrian regime forces perpetrated 15 massacres in Deir Ez-Zour, 11 massacres in Damascus suburbs, 10 massacres in Idlib, seven massacres in Hama, seven massacres in Daraa, five massacres in Homs, four massacres in Aleppo, one massacre in Damascus, and one massacre in Raqqa. Russian forces perpetrated 22 massacres in Idlib, four massacres in Aleppo, three massacres in Deir Ez-Zour, one massacre in Raqqa, and one massacre in Hama. International coalition forces perpetrated 47 massacres in Raqqa, seven massacres in Deir Ez-Zour, two massacres in Hasaka, one massacre in Idlib, and one massacre in Aleppo. Additionally, the report records that ISIS committed eight massacres in Deir Ez-Zour, six in Raqqa, and one in Hama, while Self-Management forces committed four massacres in Raqqa. Lastly, the report says that other parties perpetrated 11 massacres in Aleppo, three massacres in Deir Ez-Zour, two massacres in Damascus, one massacre in Daraa, one massacre in Idlib, and one massacre in Latakia.
According to the victim documentation team at SNHR, 2025 individuals were killed in those massacres, including 720 children and 366 women (adult female). This means that 54% of the victims were women and children, which is a considerably high percentage and an indication that civilians were targeted in most of these massacres.
The report breaks down the death toll of the massacres that happened in the first half of 2017, where Syrian regime forces killed 602 individuals, including 233 children and 115 women, while Russian forces killed 305 individuals, including 126 children and 70 women. In addition, ISIS killed 157 civilians, including 52 children and 22 women, whereas Self-Management forces killed 33 civilians, including 12 children and seven women. Furthermore, international coalition forces killed 600 civilians, including 214 children and 111 women, and, lastly, other parties killed 328 individuals, including 83 children and 41 women.
The report outlines the massacre toll in June 2017. There have been 35 massacres – 11 massacres at the hands of Syrian regime forces, one massacre at the hands of Russian forces, 17 massacres at the hands of international coalition forces, four massacres at the hands of ISIS, one massacre at the hands of Kurdish Self-Management forces, and one massacre at the hands of other parties.
According to the report, Syrian regime forces perpetrated seven massacres in Deir Ez-Zour, three massacres in Daraa, and one massacre in Hama. Russian forces perpetrated one massacre in Deir Ez-Zour. International coalition forces perpetrated 11 massacres in Raqqa, four massacres in Deir Ez-Zour, and two massacres in al Hasaka. Also, Self-Management forces perpetrated one massacre in Raqqa, while ISIs perpetrated two massacres in both Raqqa and Deir Ez-Zour. Lastly, the report records one massacre in Idlib at the hands of other parties.
According to the victim documentation team at SNHR, 274 individuals were killed in these massacres including 106 children and 14 women (adult female) which suggests that 56% of the victims were women and children. This considerably high percentage is an indication that civilians were targeted in most of these massacres.
The report breaks down the death toll of the massacres that happened in June, where Syrian regime forces killed 88 individuals, including 41 children and 12 women, while Russian forces killed 22 individuals, including seven children and five women. Additionally, 131 civilians were killed in the massacres perpetrated by international coalition forces, including 49 children and 29 women, while ISIS killed 20 civilians, including six children and two women. And Self-Management forces killed six civilians, including two children and two women. Lastly, seven individuals, including one female child, were killed in the massacre by other parties.
The report calls for referring the case in Syria to the International Criminal Court and stop the disrupting of the decisions that must be adopted by the Security Council against the Syrian government. This disruption is a wrong message to all dictatorships around the world and supports the culture of crime. Also, immediate sanctions must be imposed on all individuals involved in widespread human rights violations.