News / Middle East

Syria Expands Use of Cluster Bombs says HRW

A boy holds unexploded cluster bombs after jet shelling by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in the al-Meyasar district of Aleppo, Feb. 21, 2013.
A boy holds unexploded cluster bombs after jet shelling by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in the al-Meyasar district of Aleppo, Feb. 21, 2013.
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VOA News
An international human rights group says Syrian forces are expanding their use of banned cluster bombs in residential areas, causing mounting civilian casualties.  

Cluster bombs open in flight, scattering smaller bomblets.  They pose a threat to civilians long afterwards, since many do not explode immediately.

Human Rights Watch said Saturday it has identified at least 119 locations where the bombs have been used in the last six months in Syria's civil war.

The rights group said cluster bomb attacks in the last two weeks have killed 11 civilians, including five children and two women.

In another development, European Union governments delayed making a decision Friday on a push by Britain and France to arm Syrian rebels against government troops, as the civil war in Syria marked its second anniversary.

France has said it is ready to work with Britain to help arm Syrian rebels, even if there is no agreement with other nations to send the weapons.

EU leaders will revisit the issue next week at a meeting in Dublin.

The embargo currently bars member countries from providing weapons to the Syrian opposition. That embargo ends in May.

Demonstrations were held Friday in protest centers across Syria to mark the second anniversary of the conflict which has claimed the lives of 70,000 people. Anti-government protesters first took to the streets in Syria to demand democratic change on March 15, 2011, during the early days of the region-wide upheaval known as the Arab Spring.

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by: bornfeb from: zimbabwe
March 18, 2013 9:44 AM
where ever these so called super powers poke their noses millions die is this world population check?


by: Igor from: Russia
March 17, 2013 6:43 AM
Everyone who always use cluster bombs to kill a lot of civilians during wars. They are the USA and its allies. Who condemned them??? Nobody!!! Please visit the website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluster_munition#Vietnam_War

"During the Vietnam War, the US used cluster bombs in air strikes against targets in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.[7] According to The Guardian, of the 260 million cluster bomblets that rained down on Laos between 1964 and 1973, particularly on Xieng Khouang province, 80 million failed to explode.[8] The GlobalPost reports that about 7,000 people have been injured or killed by explosives left from the Vietnam War era in the Vietnamese Quang Tri Province alone."


by: Srdjan KV from: Serbia
March 16, 2013 9:22 PM
NATO used cluster bombs against Serbia. At Nis third largest city in Serbia, bombs were thrown at the residential area and killed the children and civilians. Where were you then to write about it?


by: Anonymous
March 16, 2013 2:57 PM
Syria is under attack, by so-called rebels who are aided by foreign powers bent on destroying the sovereignty of the nation. What happened to the so-called rebels in the US civil war? Where the rebels were coincidentally aided by the British? That's what happened in the US Civil war, and should happen in Syria. Syria has the right to overcome these external and religiously motivated, impostors posing as freedom fighters. The thinking people in the USA as well as in the rest of the world recognize the sham called the "revolution" in Syria.

In Response

by: Anonymous
March 17, 2013 6:30 PM
Who will pay for the crimes brought by the "rebels" on the Syrian people? Come on, WHO? This is a proven proxy war, aided and abetted by OUTSIDERS.

In Response

by: lapazjim from: united states
March 17, 2013 10:00 AM
You really do not know much about your American history.The Civil War was fought not to end an individuals rule or to end rhe government.It was over ending slavery.It was also the most costly war the U.S. has ever had in the number of deaths inccured.Luckily the north won and slavery came to an end.
Assad is a dictator who is disliked by almost his whole country.With this new defection of one of his generals it is a signal that the military could turn at just about any time to the rebels side.If the main people in charge of the military gave the word then most likely they would change sides.You can be assured that Assad will pay for his crimes against his country and the people will be judge,jury and executioners.

In Response

by: Anonymous
March 16, 2013 6:23 PM

You seem to not know the facts, try going to youtube and view the videos below, you will see with your own eyes you are entirely mistaken. The entire nation of Syria wants Bashar al Assad gone and faced justice at all costs. In the videos below you will see that Bashar's father is not liked nor his Bashar himself. You will see united Syrian people against their government killing innocent civilians. This has nothing to do with the United States. However nations are there to help the Syrian people and provide them with necessities, if they are giving them arms too, to protect their homeland from Bashar al Assad, that is a great thing too. Bashar al Assad will destroy the entire country and still not ever be a leader of Syria again. He is destroying everything on his way out, and killing an unlimited amount of civilians.
Check these out:
watch?v=_qjjSrs-zp0
watch?v=ePUb1d1ZkG4


by: Hang
March 16, 2013 10:36 AM
Everyone used just kill ppl no problem. All supper powers has leaning how to use, it's business, no law to stopped them, AKA 47 it's better.