UN investigation into bombing of humanitarian sites in northern Syria, published Monday, April 6, recognizes that "The Syrian government and / or its allies" committed most of them, but refrains from naming Russia specifically.
Created on 1er August 2019 At the request of Secretary General Antonio Guterres, the internal committee of inquiry has reviewed six attacks among the hundreds that have targeted schools or hospitals since September 17, 2018, the date of signature in Sochi, by the Russia and Turkey, the Idlib area stabilization agreement.
The summary of his report concludes that five of these six bombings were committed by "The Syrian government and / or its allies". But the commission of inquiry never establishes a link between "The allies of the Syrian government" and Russia, while among the supporters of Damascus, Moscow is the only one to have fighter-bombers operating in Syria.
"Deeply disappointing"
In 2019, the New york times had also published an exhaustive investigation, which demonstrated, records of Russian pilots in support, the responsibility for Moscow in the air raids which devastated the province of Idlib. Louis Charbonneau, of Human Rights Watch, for whom these attacks are "Potential war crimes", judges refusal to incriminate Russia "Deeply disappointing". According to the NGO Physicians for Human Rights, which focuses on the tribute paid by the medical sector in the conflict, out of 595 attacks perpetrated against health establishments between 2011 and February 2020, 536 were carried out by the Syrian regime and its allies .
Antonio Guterres probably does not want to fall out with Moscow, while negotiations on cross-border humanitarian convoys should resume in early July
Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group analyzes the lack of reference to Russia in two ways. "The secretary general and the United Nations are trying to maintain a working relationship with Syria and Russia with regard to humanitarian aid", he says first. Antonio Guterres probably does not want to fall out with Moscow, while negotiations on cross-border humanitarian convoys are due to resume in early July. In January, Russia imposed a requirement that loads to Syria no longer pass through the Syrian-Iraqi crossing point of Al-Yarubiyah, leading to a decrease in aid deliveries to the northeast of the country.
