HRW: Syrian pro-government forces 'widely using' cluster bombs
BEIRUT - The Russian-backed Syrian government's air campaign against rebels is widely using cluster munitions, banned by more than 100 countries because of their indiscriminate nature, Human Rights Watch said in a report released on Thursday.
The rights group said it had documented 47 cluster munitions attacks, which killed or wounded dozens of civilians in opposition-controlled territory in the last two months.
Cluster munitions are containers that explode in the air to distribute smaller bombs over a large area.
"Since Russia and Syria have renewed their joint air operations, we have seen a relentless use of cluster munitions," said Ole Solvang, HRW's deputy emergencies director. "The Russian government should immediately ensure that neither its forces nor Syria's use this inherently indiscriminate weapon."
