Red Cross says U.S. coalition must uphold rules of war in Syria strikes

The United States and its allies must comply with the rules of war in carrying out air strikes on Islamist targets in Iraq and Syria, a senior official of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Tuesday.                     

The humanitarian agency is the guardian of the Geneva Conventions that lay down the rules of war, primarily aimed at protecting civilians caught up in armed conflicts.            

The United States and its Arab allies bombed Syria for the first time on Tuesday, killing scores of Islamic State fighters and members of a separate al Qaeda-linked group.                        

Robert Mardini, head of ICRC operations for the Near and Middle East, asked about air strikes on Syria, told Reuters Television: "What is extremely important for us is that whatever country takes part in the hostilities has to comply with the basic rules and principles of international humanitarian law."                    

"Our legal people will follow this up very closely and we will make sure that all parties have those rules recalled in due time."                       

Mardini also told a news briefing that the ICRC had held discussions with the U.S. authorities about the military operation in Iraq.                 

U.S. Central Command said Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates participated in or supported the strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria.              

The Geneva Conventions require all parties to a conflict to spare civilians, be proportionate in their military operations, and distinguish between civilian and combatants and between civilian and military objects, Mardini said.                

"The situation in Syria and in Iraq is already extremely difficult for the civilian population after years of conflict and a lot of destruction and impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands of civilians who are constantly on the move, who have had their belongings and houses destroyed, who have difficulties to access health care facilities and basic services ranging from water supply and sanitation to food supplies. So the situation is already dire," he said. 


REUTERS