The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Russian warplanes use “Thermite” again in targeting Syrian areas

Several reliable sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that the airstrikes that targeted Al-Lataminah and Saraqeb in the northern and eastern countryside of Hama and Idlib were carried out by Russian warplanes yesterday and the day before yesterday the 9th and 8th of April 2017.

The airstrikes that targeted both towns and their vicinity caused the fire to broke out in places of bombing, where the flames were seen in the place of bombardment at Lataminah and Saraqeb, the bombardment was carried out by bombs that exploded to parts and formed flames when they fell on the targeted place, which led to the outbreak of fire and caused material damage, in addition to injuring some people, while several intersecting sources confirmed to the Syrian observatory for human rights that during these airstrikes bombs contain incendiary material were used, they used material this through bombs carrying the “Thermite” for the first time back in June 2016 in the western countryside of al-Raqqah and the southern countryside of Idlib near Maarrat al-Nu’man area , and in Huraytan area in the northern countryside of Aleppo, and in al-Mayadin in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, in addition to using it against fighters near the Tanf border crossing and other Syrian areas.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published in th middle of 2016 that Russia recently used the “Thermite” substance in their airstrikes, which is composed of aluminum powder and iron oxide, and causes burns because it continues to ignite for about 180 seconds, and it is inside the bombs used by Russian warplanes in recent weeks of bombing the Syrian territory, it is a cluster incendiary bombs, its type is “RBK-500 ZAB 2.5 SM” which weighs about 500 kg (about 1100 pounds) dropped by the military aircrafts, and carry small sized bombs anti-individuals and anti-vehicles of the type ((AO 2.5 RTM)), between 50 -110 small sized bombs stuffed with “Thermite”, which outpour out of it when they explode, the range of this anti-individuals and anti-vehicles bombs is between 20-30 meters.