US coalition actions in Syria’s Raqqah broke international law: Amnesty International
US-led coalition attacks against Daesh in Syria’s Raqqah last broke international law by endangering the lives of civilians, says international rights group.
US-led coalition attacks against Daesh in Syria’s Raqqah last broke international law by endangering the lives of civilians, says international rights group.
According to Amnesty International on Tuesday, the US did not take sufficient account of civilians or take the precautions measures to minimize casualties while attacking Raqqah in 2017.
Amnesty interviewed 112 civilian residents of Raqqah during field research there in February, while investigating the sites of 42 air, artillery and mortar strikes.
“Witnesses reported that there were no fighters in the vicinity at the time of the attacks. Such attacks could be either direct attacks on civilians or civilian objects or indiscriminate attacks,” said Amnesty adding that such attacks amounted to war crimes.
The rights group further went on to call on the coalition to admit the scale of damage, pave the way for a public independent investigation and make reparations to victims of their actions
