Late Tuesday, July 17th 2018, Syrian government forces began a bombing campaign that lasted through the following day on the densely-populated rebel-held town of Nawa and surrounding villages in Daraa governorate. The bombing left at least 14 dead and 150 injured.
The airstrikes also hit the town’s only hospital, putting it out of action and causing many casualties. An orthopaedist, one of the town’s last, was killed in the bombing campaign.
With only one ambulance, civilians relied on cars to move the casualties.
This bombing was part of the latest government offensive to claim land back from Syrian rebel groups in the area. The offensive has already displaced more than 230,000. Many of those displaced are staying in makeshift camps along the borders near Israel and Jordan; with Jordan not taking in more refugees and Israel shooing away the displaced from the border.
Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) records casualties (i.e. people killed and injured) from explosive violence around the world as reported in English-language news sources.
Last year, Syria was the country worst-impacted by explosive violence with over 15,000 deaths and injuries from such weapons – of which 85% were civilians. Of civilian casualties in Syria last year, 67% were caused by airstrikes.
Already, in the first half of 2018, AOAV has recorded a 15% rise in the number of civilians killed or injured by explosive weapons in Syria, compared to the same period last year.
AOAV strongly condemns the use of violence against civilians and calls upon all states and groups to stop using weapons with wide-area impacts in populated areas, due to the severe impact these have on civilians.
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