Last week Human Rights Watch reported that the Syrian air force continued to drop cluster munitions on towns in five governorates in Syria as part of an intensifying air campaign in October. At least 46 cluster bombs containing more than 6,000 bomblets have been dropped. Cluster munitions are banned under the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions because of their devastating impact on civilians.

Syria has denied using cluster munitions in spite of mounting evidence that includes footage, photos and testimonies from witnesses in Syria. The cluster munitions are Soviet-made.

The Cluster Munition Coalition has condemned the use and urged Syria to immediately stop using these weapons. The governments of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway and Qatar have also condemned the use.

Human Rights Watch has documented several casualties as a result of cluster bomb use but the full scale is not yet known.

Rebel held areas have been under increased attacks by Syrian government forces as they intensify their air campaign bombarding areas with cluster munitions as well as high explosive, fragmentation, and improvised “barrel” bombs into populated areas.

Links:

Human Rights Watch

http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/10/23/syria-despite-denials-more-cluster-bomb-attacks