Syrian Network for Human Rights: Assad regime dropped more than 3,000 barrel bombs on Syria since beginning of Russian military intervention

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) has said that since the beginning of Russia’s military intervention in Syria, Al-Assad’s forces have dropped 3,173 barrel bombs on Syria, killing 140 people including 28 children and 17 women.

In November, the human rights group released a report documenting the Syrian army’s use of barrel bombs. The report stated that the first significant use of barrel bombs by the Syrian regime’s forces was on 1 November, 2012 in the Idlib town of Silqean.

The report noted that barrel bombs were not well-known to the international community before their use by Al-Assad, even if they existed before that.

“Barrel bombs sometimes weigh a quarter of tonne and rely on the free fall principle. These barrels are random weapons and locally made, since they are less expensive, cause massive destruction and causes a great loss of lives; 99 per cent of the casualties are civilians, while the percentage of targeted women and children ranges between 12 and 35 per cent,” the report stated.

SNHR’s report documents the incidents in which barrel bombs were dropped on Syrian provinces and the consequent deaths and destruction. The organisation recorded the use of 1,083 barrel bombs in November alone, 757 of which were dropped on Damascus suburbs. More than 113 barrel bombs were dropped on Aleppo, 113 on Daraa, and 46 on Homs. The rest were dropped in Idlib, Hama, Al-Qunaitara and Lattakia.

The reported further revealed that barrel bombs caused 51 deaths, including 16 children and seven women, with the majority of victims in Daraa, followed by Damascus suburbs and Homs.

SNHR documented five vital facilities targeted by barrel bombs in November: three mosques, a school and a medical facility.

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