Last week, in the opposition-controlled city of Raqqa Syria,
a government airstrike killed 16 people, 12 of which were students on their
first day of school. The wounds and burns of victims indicate that fuel-air
explosives (FAE) were used. FAE are known to be more powerful than typical
high-explosive munitions and prone to indiscriminate impact in more populated
areas. This type of weapon is therefore extremely dangerous, stemming from the
fact that even if opposition forces were nearby, it would still most definitely
put innocent civilians at risk due to its haphazard range. According to the
article, no armed people or opposition administration offices were even nearby.
What this horrendous act of violence shows to the world is that the Syrian
government does not care about the lives of innocent civilians.
But the Syrian government wouldn’t just strike any old city,
right? It is true that Raqqa has been held by opposition forces since March and
has been frequently bombed since then. However, Human Rights Watch has recorded
repeated indiscriminate and even deliberate attacks on civilians by the Syrian
government. This type of targeted attack is a serious violation of the laws of
war.
Was it a coincidence that is was a school that was bombed?
In recent years, thousands of schools have been destroyed or damaged, lowering enrollment
rates. This sends a serious message to Syrians: there is a risk of death for
going to school. It is a given for us here in the United States to go to
school. We are able to learn without the constant fear of being hurt, attacked,
or killed. However, in Syria, their right to an education has clearly been
threatened by these appalling air strikes.
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