DISINFO: There is no evidence that civilians were killed by Russian airstrikes and that the "Syrian regime" used chemical weapons

DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS

DISINFO: There is no evidence that civilians were killed by Russian airstrikes and that the "Syrian regime" used chemical weapons

SUMMARY

The European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning the "crimes of the Assad regime."

As noted in the resolution, from March 2011, about 230 thousand civilians have been killed in Syria. Referring to the "Syrian Network for Human Rights", the EP notes that Syrian authorities are responsible for 88% of the killings, for 3% - the Russian Armed Forces (from airstrikes). Believing this organisation, MEPs record an "interesting" fact: the least number of people died at the hands of ISIS (only 2% of all victims). There is no evidence that civilians were killed by Russian airstrikes on terrorists.

Further, it is indicated (again without proof) that the "Syrian regime" used chemical weapons and cluster bombs.

RESPONSE

Pro-Kremlin narrative about the Syrian war. There is a growing body of evidence documenting Russian and Syrian bombing of civilian targets. According to Amnesty International, Russian warplanes deliberately targeted civilians and rescue workers during their bombing campaign. The human rights group has documented attacks on schools, hospitals and civilian homes. The director of Amnesty's crisis response programme said that after bombing civilian targets, the Russian warplanes "loop around" for a second attack to target the humanitarian workers and civilians who are trying to help those have been injured in the first sortie.

More information about Russia's military intervention in Syria and about civilian deaths can be found in reports from Human Rights Watch, the UN Human rights office, Atlantic Council. See also the investigation by Bellingcat.

As for the use of chemical weapons in Syria: In its final report, the OPCW does not leave any doubt on the detection of chlorine in Douma:

"based on the levels of chlorinated organic derivatives, detected in several environmental samples gathered at the sites of alleged use of toxic chemicals, which are not naturally present in the environment, the FFM concludes that the objects from which the samples were taken at both locations had been in contact with one or more substances containing reactive chlorine" (page 3 of the report).

See similar cases: No Russian air strikes targeting SDF or civilians, The US State Department has not provided any evidence that the Syrian or Russian Air Forces were bombing Syrian hospitals; Strikes of the Russian and Syrian air forces are inflicted solely on the confirmed terrorist targets; Douma chemical attack never took place.

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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