Rights group: 165 civilians killed by international coalition attacks on Daesh in Syria

The Syrian Network for Human Rights said Saturday that 165 civilians were killed, led in attacks by the international coalition forces and the Kurdish People’s Protection Units against the Daesh militants in Deir Ez-Zour province in eastern Syria.

The network said in a report that the civilians, including 71 children and 29 women, were killed by the international coalition forces’ bombing against Hajin province, and the surrounding towns and villages, between September 11 and December 20 2018.

As many as twelve civilians, including three children, were killed in attacks by Kurdish militia in the same areas during the same period.

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Last Monday, the Kurdish militia controlled Hajin province, the most important stronghold of the Daesh in Syria.

The Daesh currently controls a small strip of land along the eastern bank of the Euphrates River including four towns in the Deir Ez-Zour countryside as well as uninhabited desert areas in the governorates of Deir Ez-Zour and Homs.

According to the report, the Syrian regime forces and the Kurdish militia impose a siege on the four towns, where the Daesh uses civilians as human shields.