Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) strongly condemns today's airstrike that targeted the civilian area of Latamneh in northern Hama countryside, where one of its health facilities is active.
The airstrike resulted in five civilian casualties: a mother, a father, and their 3-month-old baby girl, as well as a mother and her 1-year-old son. These civilians were waiting to receive medical attention at QRCS's Latamneh Primary Health Care Center.
In addition, 10 civilians were injured as a result of the airstrike, including two staff members of the center, a nurse, and a medical doctor.
Major damage was incurred to the center, which provides medical and health care to 900 people monthly, mainly mothers and children.
The center also provides laboratory services and contains a pharmacy that serves a catchment area of 50,000 population. The Latamneh center has temporarily stopped its services to assess the safety status of the area and its staff.
This direct targeting of defenseless civilians represents a stark violation of the most basic tenets of the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law. It is in direct defiance of the multiple UN Security Council Resolutions condemning the direct targeting of civilian areas in situations of armed conflict.
In particular, the UN Security Council Resolution 2286 (2016) "strongly condemned attacks and threats against the wounded and sick, medical personnel and humanitarian personnel exclusively engaged in medical duties, their means of transport and equipment, as well as hospitals and other medical facilities".
Despite such attacks, QRCS will not be discouraged from pursuing its humanitarian mission in Syria and will continue to uphold humanitarian values and the fundamental principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
