GROWING EVIDENCE RUSSIA IS USING CLUSTER BOMBS: HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP

BEIRUT After a breakdown of the recent ceasefire in Syria, Russian and Syrian air forces have resumed a bombing campaign that has extensively used cluster munitions, killing and maiming dozens of civilians, a leading human rights group said in a report released Thursday.

The report by the New York-based Human Rights Watch documented 47 different cluster munition attacks since May 27. The majority of the attacks focused on Aleppo, where Syrian government forces backed by Russian air support and artillery have fought doggedly to dislodge opposition fighters located in the city.

Cluster munitions are banned by 119 countries, but Russia and Syria are not party to the convention that prohibits their possession and use.

Syrian government forces, despite using a limited amount of cluster munitions, have primarily relied on crudely built barrel bombs. Packed with explosives and homemade shrapnel, the weapons have been used to devastating effect over Syria’s cities and countryside to kill and maim thousands of civilians and opposition fighters.

Aside from carrying cluster munitions, Russian aircraft have also been recently spotted loaded with incendiary bombs.

Although the United States has not used the munitions in its anti-Islamic State campaign, it has continuously supplied cluster munitions to its regional allies, including Saudi Arabia, which has used them in its recent bombing campaign over Yemen.