• Syria: Incendiary Weapons Used in Populated Areas
    Dec 11, 2012
    The Syrian military has used air-delivered incendiary bombs in at least four locations across Syria since mid-November 2012 according to interviews with witnesses and video analysis. Human Rights Watch is also investigating unconfirmed reports of the use of such weapons in other parts of Syria. Human Rights Watch has identified the weapons as ZAB-series incendiary aircraft bombs that release submunitions containing the flammable substance thermite. Incendiary weapons are designed to set fire to objects or to cause burn injuries. A total of 106 nations have prohibited the use of air-delivered incendiary weapons in populated areas, but Syria has not banned the weapons.
  • The Case to Ban Incendiary Weapons
    Nov 28, 2012
    Incendiary weapons cause particularly cruel injuries to both civilians and combatants. They are also prone to being indiscriminate by starting fires and causing casualties over a large area without distinction. A complete ban on the use of incendiary weapons would have the most humanitarian benefits and provide the strongest protection under international law.
  • Syria: More Cluster Bomb Attacks
    Nov 28, 2012
    Mounting evidence shows that Syria's air force is continuing to drop cluster bombs on towns across five governorates despite the Syrian army's denial that it is using them, Human Rights Watch said today. Data compiled by Human Rights Watch show an important increase in the use of cluster bombs in the past two weeks. The cluster bomb strikes are part of an intensifying air campaign by government forces on rebel-held areas that has included dropping high explosive, fragmentation, and even improvised "barrel" bombs into populated areas.
  • Cluster Bombs Dropped in Syria
    Nov 28, 2012
    New evidence has emerged that the Syrian air force has used cluster munitions in recent days. Many of the strikes were near the main highway that runs through Ma`arat al-Nu`man, the site of a major confrontation between government and rebel forces this week.
  • Pull the Plug on Killer Robots
    Nov 26, 2012
    Machines are starting to take the place of human soldiers on the battlefield. Some military and robotics experts predict that "killer robots" -- fully autonomous weapons that could select and engage targets --- could be developed within 20-30 years.
  • Pull the Plug on Killer Robots
    Nov 19, 2012
    Machines are starting to take the place of human soldiers on the battlefield. Some military and robotics experts predict that "killer robots" -- fully autonomous weapons that could select and engage targets --- could be developed within 20-30 years.
  • Libya: NATO Air Strikes and Civilian Deaths
    May 14, 2012
    The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has failed to acknowledge dozens of civilian casualties from air strikes during its 2011 Libya campaign, and has not investigated possible unlawful attacks. NATO’s military campaign in Libya, from March to October 2011, was mandated by the United Nations Security Council to protect civilians from attacks by security forces of then-Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. The number of civilian deaths from NATO air strikes in Libya was low given the extent of the bombing and duration of the campaign, however, the absence of a clear military target at seven of the eight sites Human Rights Watch visited raises concerns of possible laws-of-war violations that should be investigated.The eight air strikes that Human Rights Watch investigated resulted in 72 civilian deaths, including 20 women and 24 children.
  • Libya: Unacknowledged Deaths
    May 13, 2012
    The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has failed to acknowledge dozens of civilian casualties from air strikes during its 2011 Libya campaign, and has not investigated possible unlawful attacks.
  • Libya: Explosive Remnants of War caused by NATO Air Campaign
    Apr 24, 2012
    During the 2011 air campaign in Libya, NATO aircraft attacked targets at the Mizdah military depot south of Tripoli a total of 56 times between April and July, creating an extensive explosive remnants of war (ERW) problem. Human Rights Watch has confirmed two deaths and seven injuries from ERW in six separate incidents at the Mizdah depot between August and December 2011. Almost all the ERW casualties were local residents of Mizdah, who were visiting the site to collect scrap metal or inspect the damaged facilities. The NATO alliance has recently taken some steps to provide strike data from the 2011 combat operation in Libya. This information will facilitate survey, clearance, and risk education.
  • Libya: Abandoned Weapons, Landmines, Unexploded Ordnance
    Apr 5, 2011
    Eastern Libya is littered with massive amounts of unexploded ordnance, abandoned and unsecured weapons and munitions, and recently-laid landmines from the fighting since February 2011, posing a great threat to civilians. "When ordinary civilians, even children, can walk into a weapons depot and remove anti-tank missiles, landmines, and surface-to-air missiles capable of shooting down a civilian aircraft, you have a real problem," said Peter Bouckaert, emergencies director at Human Rights Watch.