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Statement on the massacre by the US-led coalition’s airstrikes in Manbij
19.7.2016 Posted July 19, 2016
http://syriasolidarity.org.uk/2016/07/19/statement-on-the-massacre-by-the-us-led-coalitions-airstrikes-in-manbij-19-7-2016/
The Syria Solidarity Campaign (SSC) absolutely condemns the massacre of
more than 200 civilians today by US-led coalition airstrikes on Tokhar
village in the north of Manbij City. Most of those killed were women and
children. Many are still buried under the rubble.
The United States has armed the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who are
mainly Kurdish forces led by the PYD and who have been coordinating with
Assad in his deadly war against the population of Syria. They have
imposed a brutal siege leaving no humanitarian corridors for civilians
to flee the city. Thus, civilians are trapped between the indiscriminate
airstrikes of the US-led coalition, the shelling of the SDF, and the
terror of ISIL. Civilians can’t flee the city due to the battles and
they are being used as human shields. The closure of all humanitarian
corridors has made the situation even more precarious, stopping the
supply of basic necessities including food, medicine and fuel. All of
these factors are leading to a humanitarian catastrophe amongst a
civilian population of 250,000 in Manbij.
The actions taken by the United States have only served to prolong Assad’s
deadly war on Syrians, which has thus far claimed more than 470,000
people and led to an unprecedented refugee crisis and global terror
attacks. Fighting terrorism does not justify the mass killings of
civilians. Such atrocities serve to support the narrative of ISIL, that
the West is launching a war against Muslims. These actions will not
defeat ISIL, but instead will lead to further radicalisation amongst
civilians in Syria and abroad.
We demand that the US-led coalition immediately ceases their airstrikes
in Syria in order to spare further civilian lives. We also demand that
the US and the SDF lift the siege of Manbij immediately and launch an
urgent investigation into civilian deaths since the launch of their
campaign to liberate Manbij. Finally, we demand that the US and the SDF
establish humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians and allow
humanitarian aid into the city.
About the SSC:
The main purpose of the Syria Solidarity Campaign is to amplify the
voices of Syrians struggling for peace and freedom. We work with all
existing campaigns and organisations to help build a campaign that can
assist the Syrian people in their struggle for a democratic, just, free
and pluralist Syria.
i...@syriasolidarity.org.uk
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