‘Staggering loss of civilian life’ in coalition strikes on Isil-held city

THE Us-led coalition fighting against Isil was yesterday accused by UN war crimes investigators of causing a “staggering loss of civilian life” in the assault on the Syrian city of Raqqa.

The coalition was also criticised for the use of white phosphorous as a weapon.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a group of Kurdish and Arab militias supported by a Us-led coalition, began to attack Raqqa a week ago. The SDF, supported by heavy coalition air strikes, has taken territory to the west, east and north of the city.

“We note in particular that the intensification of air strikes, which have paved the ground for an SDF advance in Raqqa, has resulted not only in staggering loss of civilian life, but has also led to 160,000 civilians fleeing their homes and becoming internally displaced,” Paulo Pinheiro, chairman of the UN Commission of Inquiry, told the Human Rights Council.

Mr Pinheiro gave no figure for civilian casualties in Raqqa, where rival forces are racing to capture ground from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil).

Separately, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the coalition was endangering civilians by using artillery-delivered white phosphorous. The US military says it uses the material in a lawful way.

White phosphorous burns at extremely high temperatures and can be used to illuminate conflict zones or obscure them with smoke. International law prohibits its use in civilian areas because of its indiscriminate effects, from starting fires to causing excruciating burns, according to HRW.

“No matter how white phosphorus is used, it poses a high risk of horrific and long-lasting harm in crowded cities like Raqqa and Mosul and any other areas with concentrations of civilians,” said Steve Goose, arms director at HRW.

HRW, citing research and media reports, referred to several incidents in Raqqa and the northern Iraqi city of Mosul where artillery-fired white phosphorous was used.

In a video, Isil claimed the Us-led coalition used white phosphorous over Raqqa last Thursday at dusk, when Muslims would have been breaking their Ramadan fasts.