The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

After killing tens of civilians in the ferry boats east of Deir Ezzor, the Russian warplanes resume shelling the area of the massacre

Deir Ezzor province – The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights:: The massacre, which was carried out by the Russian warplanes in the west bank of the Euphrates River in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor against civilians fleeing death, did not stop the warplanes from shelling the same area. The Russian warplanes targeted against the water crossing between the town of al-Boleel and the eastern banks of the Euphrates River, after a series of airstrikes in the same area in less than 48 hours ago, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored, since the night of the 9th of September 2017, the Russian warplanes carrying out heavy airstrikes on the water crossing between al-Boleel town in the western banks of the Euphrates River and the areas of al-Sabha and al-Dahla in the eastern banks of the Euphrates River, all of them are located in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, causing material damage to the ferry boats.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights didn’t document in the renewed airstrikes today Monday, the 11th of September 2017 any causality so far, however, 34 civilians at least were killed and documented by the Syrian Observatory in the intense airstrikes by Russian warplanes, which targeted more than 40 water ferries transporting the citizens from the western bank of the Euphrates River to its eastern bank in Al-Boleel area in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, and among the total number of casualties there are 9 children, 4 women and 4 blackened bodies, and the death toll is expected to rise because there are some people in critical situation.

This massacre was carried out by Russian planes, which provide an air cover for the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them, also groups from the Russian Special Forces fight along with the regime forces in the attack on Deir Ezzor city and in the process of lift the siege of the city, they have caused increased resentment among in the citizens because of Russia’s aerial bombardment, which claimed that they have come to “free the civilians” but targeted the civilians during their displacement from the heavy bombing on Deir Ezzor city and its countryside under, the bombing takes place under the pretext of “fighting the “Islamic State” organization”, while Deir Ezzor city is witnessing a massive displacement of tens of families who have fled the city with this increased pace of the military operation, fearing regime forces’ besiege of the city by advancing to the areas Jafra and Hwyjet Sakr, which will enable the regime forces -in case they advanced to and controlled them- to complete the siege of Deir Ezzor city.

It worth mentioning that the citizens turned to use ferries to travel between the western and the eastern banks of the Euphrates River, after most of the bridges over the river had been shelled, by Russian warplanes as well as the International Coalition warplanes during the past months, in which some ferries are used to transport citizens while the others are used to transport vehicles between the two banks.