BEIRUT: An international human rights group said Thursday that a yearlong military campaign by Syrian and Russian forces that repeatedly attacked civilian targets in the last rebel stronghold in northwestern Syria constituted apparent war crimes and may amount to crimes against humanity.
Human Rights Watch released a 167-page report titled “Targeting Life in Idlib,” in which the group names 10 senior Syrian and Russian civilian and military officials — including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Syrian President Bashar Assad as well as defense ministers and top generals — who may be implicated in war crimes as a matter of command responsibility.
“They knew or should have known about the abuses and took no effective steps to stop them or punish those responsible,” Human Rights Watch said in its report, which covered attacks on Idlib province between April 2019 and March.
The monthslong Russian-backed Syrian offensive killed and wounded thousands and displaced nearly a million people. The offensive stopped in March, when Turkey and Russia agreed on a cease-fire. Turkey is a main backer of Syrian rebels while Russia has joined Syrian government forces in the battles.
HRW said that during the Syrian campaign in which government forces captured scores of villages and towns, dozens of “unlawful air and ground strikes” hit hospitals, schools, and markets killing hundreds of civilians. The attacks seriously impaired the rights to health, education, food, water, and shelter, triggering mass displacement, HRW said.
“The repeated unlawful attacks appear part of a deliberate military strategy to destroy civilian infrastructure and force out the population, making it easier for the Syrian government to retake control,” said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch.
Human Rights Watch documented 46 air and ground attacks, including the use of cluster munitions, that directly hit or damaged civilian targets in violation of the laws of war. The strikes killed at least 224 civilians and wounded 561, HRW said adding that they were only a fraction of the total attacks during that time in Idlib and surrounding areas.
It said the documented strike concentrated on four urban areas, including the provincial capital, also called Idlib, as well as the towns of Jisr Al-Shughour, Ariha and Maaret Al-Numan damaging 12 health care facilities and 10 schools, forcing them to shut down, in some cases permanently.
Rights group suspects Russia, Syria war crimes in Idlib
https://arab.news/8ap57
Rights group suspects Russia, Syria war crimes in Idlib
- The monthslong Russian-backed Syrian offensive killed and wounded thousands and displaced nearly a million people
- Human Rights Watch documented 46 air and ground attacks, including the use of cluster munitions, that directly hit or damaged civilian targets
El-Sisi hails development of Egypt-EU relations
- El-Sisi and Kallas both stressed the need for full implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement to ensure regular and unrestricted flow of humanitarian aid into the enclave
CAIRO: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Saturday praised the development of his country’s relationship with the European Union, “emphasizing the importance of sustaining efforts to deepen cooperation, especially after relations were elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership,” according to state media.
El-Sisi made the remarks during a meeting with the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas.
El-Sisi and Kallas both stressed the need for full implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement to ensure regular and unrestricted flow of humanitarian aid into the enclave.
“During the meeting, Kallas expressed the European side’s appreciation for the ongoing cooperation with Egypt in various fields,” presidential spokesman Mohamed El-Shennawy said.
This cooperation was reflected in the holding of the first Egypt-EU summit in Brussels in October 2025, Kallas said.
The meeting addressed various other aspects of bilateral relations, with El-Sisi emphasizing the importance of implementing the outcomes of the first Egypt-EU summit and enhancing consultation and coordination on issues of mutual concern, particularly in political and security spheres, to support regional security and stability, according to the spokesman.
EU Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process Christophe Bigot was also present at the meeting, along with Rosamaria Gili, the deputy managing director for the Middle East and North Africa at the European External Action Service; Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty; head of the EU delegation to Egypt Ambassador Angelina Eichhorst; Christine O’Dwyer, a member of Kallas’ cabinet; and other senior EU officials.
Abdelatty said on Thursday that Egypt expects the remaining €4 billion ($4.66 billion) of a previously announced macro-financial assistance package from the EU to be disbursed in three tranches by 2027, and that he hoped the first tranche would be released “in the coming days” after Cairo completed its fifth and sixth program reviews with the International Monetary Fund, Reuters reported.
In 2024, the EU announced a €7.4 billion funding package for Egypt, including €5 billion in concessional loans. The package also includes investments and grants, and was partly a response to Egypt’s worsening financial position following the Gaza war, Red Sea tension and the economic fallout from the war in Ukraine.
