Syria: Deliberate bombing of water source a war crime

  • 15/03/2017
A child walks down the street in Damascus, Syria (Reuters)
A child walks down the street in Damascus, Syria (Reuters)

Syria's air force deliberately bombed water sources in December, a war crime that cut off water for 5.5 million people in and around the capital Damascus, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria says.

The commission found no evidence of demolition or deliberate contamination of the water supply by armed groups, as the Syrian government maintained at the time.

Rebels controlled the water springs of the Wadi Barada valley northwest of Damascus since 2012, but withdrew in January after a major offensive by Syrian government forces and their allies. The fighting took place despite a ceasefire deal.

Damage to a water pumping station in the Wadi Barada valley near Damascus, Syria (Reuters)
Damage to a water pumping station in the Wadi Barada valley near Damascus, Syria (Reuters)

The commission said there were no reports of people suffering water contamination on or before December 23, when the Syrian air force hit al-Fija spring with at least two air strikes.

Syrian ambassador Hussam Aala did not comment directly on the attack, but said his government rejected allegations that it had attacked civilians or civilian infrastructure.

The attack is one of several war crimes committed by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the report says.

It also catalogued atrocities by Islamic State and the group formerly known as the Nusra Front, the two combatants designated as terrorists by the UN. Other rebel groups were also blamed for displacing communities during their offensives.

Duncan Garner spoke to ReliefAid Founder Mike Seawright and Otago University Politics Lecturer Professor Bill Harris about the Syrian conflict six years on.

Watch the video for the full interview. 

Reuters