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              HRW: Russian-Made Cluster Bombs Being Used in Syria

   by VOA News

   [1]Human Rights Watch said Sunday a type of Russian-made cluster bomb
   has been used in northern Syria for the first time.

   The New York-based group said the development "raises grave concerns"
   that Russia is either dropping the cluster bombs itself as part of its
   nearly two weeks of airstrikes in Syria or is providing them to the
   Syrian military.

   "It's disturbing that yet another type of cluster munition is being
   used in Syria given the harm they cause to civilians for years to
   come," HRW Deputy Middle East Director Nadim Houry said. "Neither
   Russia nor Syria should use cluster munitions, and both should join the
   international ban without delay."

   HRW based its report on photos and pictures taken near the village of
   Kaf Halab, about 15 kilometers southwest of Aleppo, that showed
   remnants of the munitions and mid-air explosions consistent with their
   use.

   More Russian airstrikes

   The Russian Ministry of Defense said Sunday its jets continued
   airstrikes in northwestern Syria, hitting 63 Islamic State targets
   during the past day in Hama, Latakia, Idlib and Raqqa provinces.

   On Saturday, spokesman Igor Konashenkov told Russian reporters that the
   military had increased its number of strikes because of "significant
   growth in the number of ground targets" detected through aerial and
   satellite reconnaissance.

   ''

   US-Russia video conference talks

   Meanwhile, top U.S. and Russian defense officials have held talks via
   video conference as part of an effort to promote safe operations for
   the various militaries now flying in increasingly crowded airspace.

   U.S. Defense Department spokesman Peter Cook described the talks as
   "professional" and said they focused narrowly on air safety
   procedures.The Russian Defense Ministry used similar language to
   describe the talks.

   U.S. officials and Western allies were highly critical of Russia after
   Moscow gave vague warnings on September 30, about an hour before
   launching its first airstrikes inside Syria in support of embattled
   President Bashar al-Assad.

   Moscow claims the airstrikes are targeting mainly Islamic State
   militants, but rebel groups say most of the strikes are hitting areas
   where the extremist group is not present.

   In addition to warplanes from Syria and Russia conducting airstrikes in
   Syria, the U.S. has been leading a coalition conducting its own strikes
   including forces from Australia, Canada, France, Jordan, Britain and
   the Netherlands.

   In neighboring Iraq, where the Islamic State group also holds large
   amounts of territory, a separate U.S.-led coalition features Australia,
   Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United
   Arab Emirates.

   The U.S.-led effort in Iraq has included about 4,700 airstrikes since
   August 2014, according to Pentagon data, and more than 2,600 in Syria
   since beginning there a month later.
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   [2]http://www.voanews.com/content/hrw-russian-made-cluster-bombs-being-
   used-in-syria/3001190.html

References

   1. http://www.hrw.org/
   2. http://www.voanews.com/content/hrw-russian-made-cluster-bombs-being-used-in-syria/3001190.html