Kamuna refugee camp massacre

The Kamuna refugee camp massacre, also known as al-Kamouna refugee camp massacre or the Sarmada camp air strike, occurred on 5 May 2016, during the Syrian civil war. The camp was close to the Turkish border, in Idlib province about 40 kilometres (25 mi) west of Aleppo.[2] Between 28[3] to 30[1] people were killed in the Kamuna refugee camp near Sarmada, northern Syria, initially reported to be by bombing from warplanes. Children were among the killed.[4] The attack came during the truce negotiations between the warring factions.

Kamuna refugee camp massacre
Part of the Syrian civil war
LocationSarmada region, Idlib Governorate, Syria
Date5 May 2016 (2016-05-05)
Attack type
Air strike (unverified)
Deaths28–30[1]

Witnesses state that the camp was struck twice, causing many tents to be set on fire.[2][5]

Events

After the forces of Bashar al-Assad conducted an offensive on Aleppo in April 2016, an informal settlement, Ghita Al-Rahmeh, near the village of Al-Kamoneh, was assembled to host over 2,500 refugees (450 families) who fled from Aleppo towards the north.[4] There were no military targets near the refugee camp, and it was clearly visible from the sky. At that time, the war planes flying over the province were typically those of the Syrian Armed Forces and the Russian Air Forces.[6]

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other United Nations officials condemned the attack and declared it a possible war crime.[7] Ki-moon once again urged the Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC).[1] The UNCHR called the attack a "shocking disregard for civilian life" and described it as a "flagrant violation of international humanitarian and human rights law".[4]

Syrian military representatives stated that they had not targeted the camp. Russia stated that none of its aircraft had flown over the refugee camp, and its air-space monitoring data showed no flights by any aircraft over the camp. Russia's Defense Ministry officials stated that damage shown in photographs and video suggested the camp may have been hit by multiple launch rocket systems which were being used in the area by Al-Nusra.[8] The OHCHR chief Zeid Ra'ad Al-Hussein said that the initial reports of the camp being hit by Syrian Air Force jets was not verified.[1]

See also

References
  1. "Syria: UN condemns camp bombing, underlines political solution 'more urgent than ever'". UN News Centre. 6 May 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
  2. "Air raids on makeshift Syrian refugee camp kill dozens". Deutsche Welle. Associated Press. 5 May 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  3. "Russian symphony orchestra plays in Palmyra as Syrian refugee camp burns". The Sydney Morning Herald. 6 May 2016. Retrieved 2016-05-10.
  4. "Syria camp airstrikes show shocking disregard for civilians". UNCHR. 6 May 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
  5. "Airstrikes On Syria Camp For Internally Displaced Kill Dozens, Activists Say". Huffington Post. Reuters. 5 May 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  6. Barnard, Anne (6 May 2016). "Airstrikes in Syria Kill More Than 30 in Refugee Camp". The New York Times. Retrieved 2016-05-10.
  7. "Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on strike on camp in Syria". United Nations. 6 May 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
  8. "Dozens dead in air raid on camp for displaced in Idlib". Al Jazeera. 6 May 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2016.

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