GENEVA: The UN today urged all nations bombing jihadist targets in Syria to better distinguish between civilian and military targets , following reports that US-led coalition strikes killed dozens of non-combatants.Air raids on Islamic State group targets in Syria have left hundreds of civilians dead since 2014.The latest strikes that hit a series of residential buildings yesterday in Mayadeen, a town in Syria's eastern province of Deir Ezzor, killed at least 35 civilians, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said "all states" whose air forces are active in the anti-IS missions needed "to take much greater care to distinguish between legitimate military targets and civilians."The rights office had no specific information about yesterday's bombings.Zeid's spokesman Rupert Colville told reporters in Geneva that identifying the air force responsible for civilian deaths is often difficult given the number of countries in the anti- IS coalition and the lack of credible information.The Pentagon released findings yesterday of an investigation that concluded at least 105 civilians died in an anti-jihadist air strike on an IS weapons cache in Mosul in March.Prior to that, the US military had said coalition airstrikes in Iraq and Syria had "unintentionally" killed a total of 352 civilians since 2014.Zeid underscored that civilians were now being hit by both sides in the conflict."The same civilians who are suffering indiscriminate shelling and summary executions by (IS), are also falling victim to the escalating air strikes", he said in a statement.The rights office has also received credible information that IS fighters slit the throats of eight people earlier this month who were accused of providing the coalition coordinates to guide strikes, Colville said."Scant attention is being paid by the outside world to the appalling predicament of the civilians trapped in (IS- held) areas," Zeid said. (</s>GENEVA (Reuters) - The U.N. human rights chief called on all air forces operating in Syria on Friday to take greater care to distinguish between legitimate military targets and civilians in their escalating air strikes especially in the northeast against Islamic State.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein of Jordan address a news conference during his visit in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, May 4, 2017. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri

“The rising toll of civilian deaths and injuries already caused by airstrikes in Deir-ez-Zor and Al-Raqqa suggests that insufficient precautions may have been taken in the attacks,” U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein said in a statement.

Air strikes in mid-May killed nearly two dozen farmworkers, most of them women, in a village in eastern Raqqa and at least 59 civilians in residential areas of Deir al-Zor, Zeid said.

An air strike on Thursday evening killed at least 35 civilians, including family members of Islamic State fighters, in al-Mayadin, a town held by the jihadists near Deir al-Zor in eastern Syria, a war monitor reported.

A spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State told Reuters that its forces had conducted strikes near al-Mayadin on May 25 and 26 and were assessing the results.

Zeid’s spokesman Rupert Colville told a Geneva briefing on Friday: “There are multiple air forces operating in this part of Syria including the (U.S.-led) coalition, mainly the coalition. We also understand that there are Iraqi airplanes as well.”

“I can’t begin to identify who is responsible,” he added.

Islamic State forces, fighting to keep their stronghold in northeast Syria, have carried out summary executions of civilians, including slitting the throats of eight men at sites of air strikes after accusing them or providing coordinates, Zeid said.

“Unfortunately, scant attention is being paid by the outside world to the appalling predicament of the civilians trapped in these areas,” he added.

The U.N. human rights office also voiced concern at credible reports that Islamic State is preventing civilians from leaving areas under their control, noting that this violated international law.

“Unfortunately there is little doubt that ISIL (Islamic State) continues constantly to kill and endanger civilians, committing war crimes without any compunction whatsoever,” Zeid said.</s>Geneva: The UN on Friday urged all nations bombing jihadist targets in Syria to better distinguish between civilian and military targets, following reports that US-led coalition strikes killed dozens of non-combatants.

Air raids on Islamic State group targets in Syria have left hundreds of civilians dead since 2014.

The latest strikes that hit a series of residential buildings on Thursday in Mayadeen, a town in Syria`s eastern province of Deir Ezzor, killed at least 35 civilians, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

UN human rights chief Zeid Ra`ad Al Hussein said "all states" whose air forces are active in the anti-IS missions needed "to take much greater care to distinguish between legitimate military targets and civilians."

The rights office had no specific information about Thursday`s bombings.

Zeid`s spokesman Rupert Colville told reporters in Geneva that identifying the air force responsible for civilian deaths is often difficult given the number of countries in the anti-IS coalition and the lack of credible information.

The Pentagon released findings on Thursday of an investigation that concluded at least 105 civilians died in an anti-jihadist air strike on an IS weapons cache in Mosul in March.

Prior to that, the US military had said coalition airstrikes in Iraq and Syria had "unintentionally" killed a total of 352 civilians since 2014.

 Zeid underscored that civilians were now being hit by both sides in the conflict.

"The same civilians who are suffering indiscriminate shelling and summary executions by (IS), are also falling victim to the escalating air strikes", he said in a statement.

The rights office has also received credible information that IS fighters slit the throats of eight people earlier this month who were accused of providing the coalition coordinates to guide strikes, Colville said.

"Scant attention is being paid by the outside world to the appalling predicament of the civilians trapped in (IS-held) areas," Zeid said.</s>Geneva: The UN on Friday urged all nations bombing jihadist targets in Syria to better distinguish between civilian and military targets, following reports that US-led coalition strikes killed dozens of non-combatants.

Air raids on Islamic State group targets in Syria have left hundreds of civilians dead since 2014.

The latest strikes that hit a series of residential buildings yesterday in Mayadeen, a town in Syria's eastern province of Deir Ezzor, killed at least 35 civilians, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

United Nations human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said "all states" whose air forces are active in the anti-IS missions needed "to take much greater care to distinguish between legitimate military targets and civilians."

The rights office had no specific information about yesterday's bombings.

Zeid's spokesman Rupert Colville told reporters in Geneva that identifying the air force responsible for civilian deaths is often difficult given the number of countries in the anti-IS coalition and the lack of credible information.

The Pentagon released findings on Thursday of an investigation that concluded at least 105 civilians died in an anti-jihadist air strike on an IS weapons cache in Mosul in March.

Prior to that, the US military had said coalition airstrikes in Iraq and Syria had "unintentionally" killed a total of 352 civilians since 2014.

Zeid underscored that civilians were now being hit by both sides in the conflict.

"The same civilians who are suffering indiscriminate shelling and summary executions by (IS), are also falling victim to the escalating air strikes", he said in a statement.

The rights office has also received credible information that IS fighters slit the throats of eight people earlier this month who were accused of providing the coalition coordinates to guide strikes, Colville said.

"Scant attention is being paid by the outside world to the appalling predicament of the civilians trapped in (IS-held) areas," Zeid said.</s>The UN human rights chief is calling on countries carrying out air strikes in Syria to take greater care to distinguish between legitimate military targets and civilians.

In a statement on May 26, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein specifically mentioned operations targeting Islamic State (IS) militants in northeastern Syria.

"The rising toll of civilian deaths and injuries already caused by air strikes" in Deir al-Zor and Raqqa "suggests that insufficient precautions may have been taken in the attacks," he said.

Zeid stressed that civilians are being hit by IS and its opponents.

"The same civilians who are suffering indiscriminate shelling and summary executions by [IS] are also falling victim to the escalating air strikes," his statement said.

Zeid's spokesman Rupert Colville told a briefing on Geneva that there are "multiple air forces operating in this part of Syria including the [U.S.-led] coalition, mainly the coalition. We also understand that there are Iraqi airplanes as well."

Colville said the UN rights office has also received credible information that, earlier this month, IS fighters slit the throats of eight people who were accused of providing the coalition coordinates to guide strikes.

"Scant attention is being paid by the outside world to the appalling predicament of the civilians trapped in [IS-held] areas," Zeid said.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP</s>GENEVA, May 26 (Reuters) - The U.N. human rights chief called on all air forces operating in Syria on Friday to take greater care to distinguish between legitimate military targets and civilians in their escalating air strikes especially in the northeast against Islamic State.

"The rising toll of civilian deaths and injuries already caused by airstrikes in Deir-ez-Zor and Al-Raqqa suggests that insufficient precautions may have been taken in the attacks," U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said in a statement.

His spokesman Rupert Colville told a Geneva briefing: "There are multiple air forces operating in this part of Syria including the (U.S.-led) coalition, mainly the coalition. We also understand that there are Iraqi airplanes as well." (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Gareth Jones)</s>An air strike Thursday evening killed at least 35 civilians, including family members of Islamic State fighters, in al-Mayadin, a town held by the jihadists near Deir al-Zor in eastern Syria, a war monitor reported.

Two days of aerial bombardment in al-Mayadin have now killed a total of 50 people, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said.

A spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State told Reuters that its forces had conducted strikes near al-Mayadin on May 25 and 26 and were assessing the results.

Residents saw reconnaissance aircraft and warplanes circling the city at 7:25 p.m. (1625 GMT) before they fired missiles, which struck two buildings, one of which was a four-story block housing Syrian and Moroccan families of Islamic State fighters.

In Geneva on Friday, the U.N. human rights chief called on all air forces operating in Syria to take greater care to distinguish between legitimate military targets and civilians in their escalating air strikes especially in the northeast against Islamic State.

“The rising toll of civilian deaths and injuries already caused by airstrikes in Deir-ez-Zor and Al-Raqqa suggests that insufficient precautions may have been taken in the attacks,” U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein said in a statement.

His spokesman Rupert Colville told a Geneva briefing: “There are multiple air forces operating in this part of Syria, including the (U.S.-led) coalition, mainly the coalition. We also understand that there are Iraqi airplanes as well.”

Islamic State is losing ground in Syria and Iraq under assault from an array of sometimes rival forces in both countries. Many of its fighters who have retreated from other fronts are massing in Syria’s Euphrates basin area.

The U.S.-led coalition says it is careful to avoid civilian casualties in air strikes and investigates any that are reported to have taken place.</s>rights chief Friday urged all parties to the conflict in Syria to

 take every feasible measure to spare civilians from the effects of

 the armed conflict, noting that they are increasing caught in

 the fighting between the government forces and the ISIL/Da’esh terrorist group.

 In particular, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid

 Ra’ad Al Hussein urged the air forces of the Syrian government

 and other States fighting ISIL in Syria to take much greater

 care to distinguish between legitimate military targets and civilians.

 “The rising toll of civilian deaths and injuries already

 caused by airstrikes in Deir-ez-Zor and Al-Raqqa suggests

 that insufficient precautions may have been taken in the

 attacks,” Zeid said in a statement from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

 “Just because ISIL holds an area does not mean less care can

 be taken. Civilians should always be protected, whether they are

 in areas controlled by ISIL or by any other party,” he added.

 Places such as the border city of Albo Kamal, where retreating ISIL

 fighters and their families are mixed in with some 100,000 people, including displaced Syrians and Iraqis are of particular concern, Zeid said.

 The same civilians who are suffering indiscriminate shelling and summary

 executions by ISIL, are also falling victim to the escalating airstrikes, particularly in the northeastern governorates of Al-Raqqa and Deir-ez-Zor, according to numerous credible reports of such incidents, he said, citing an airstrike of 14 May that reportedly killed 23 farm workers, including 17 women, in a rural village of eastern Al-Raqqa Governorate.

 Airstrikes on two residential areas of the ISIL-controlled city of Albo Kamal in eastern Deir-ez-Zor Governorate on 15th May reportedly killed at least 59 civilians, including 16 children and 12 women and injured another 70.

 The day after that, ISIL fighters are said to have cut the throats of eight men at the sites of the airstrikes, after accusing them of providing coordinates for the strikes. On 18 May, an ISIL attack on the Government-controlled village of Aqareb in rural eastern Hama Governorate allegedly resulted in the deaths of 36 civilians including women and children.</s>The U.N. human rights chief says Syrian civilians are increasingly paying the price of escalating airstrikes against the Islamic State group in Syria.

Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein in a dramatic appeal on Friday urged all parties conducting strikes against the Islamic State group in Syria to take greater care differentiating between military and civilian targets.

He cited a May 14 strike that reportedly killed 23 farm workers in a rural area of Raqqa province and an airstrike the following day that is said to have killed at least 59 civilians and wounded dozens in the IS-controlled eastern city of al-Bukamal in Deir el-Zour province.

Zeid, who is a member of the Jordanian royal family, also says the rising toll of civilian casualties suggests "insufficient precautions" is being taken in the attacks.</s>The latest strike came as the United Nations urged all nations bombing jihadist targets in Syria to better distinguish between civilian and military targets. (Photo: Representational/AP)

Beirut: A US-led coalition air strike on the eastern Syrian town of Mayadeen early Friday killed at least 80 relatives of Islamic State group fighters, a monitoring group told .

"The toll includes 33 children. They were families seeking refuge in the town's municipal building," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. "This is the highest toll for relatives of IS members in Syria," Abdel Rahman told.

The latest strike came as the United Nations urged all nations bombing jihadist targets in Syria to better distinguish between civilian and military targets.

UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said "all states" whose air forces are active in the anti-IS missions needed "to take much greater care to distinguish between legitimate military targets and civilians."

The Britain-based Observatory gathered information from civilian and medical sources on the ground in IS-held Mayadeen, which was facing its third day of fierce bombing.

According to the Observatory, 37 civilians were killed in coalition raids on the town on Thursday night, including 13 children, and another 15 had been killed in coalition strikes on Wednesday.

The 68-member coalition began bombing IS targets in Iraq in the summer of 2014, and expanded their operations to Syria on September 23 of that year.

This week, the Observatory reported the highest monthly civilian death toll for the coalition's operations in Syria. Between April 23 and May 23 of this year, coalition strikes killed a total of 225 civilians in Syria, including dozens of children.

The US-led alliance is backing twin ground offensives against IS's last main bastion cities: Raqa in northern Syria and Mosul in neighbouring Iraq.

On Thursday, a Pentagon investigation concluded that at least 105 civilians died in an anti-jihadist air strike on an IS weapons cache in Mosul in March. Prior to the new revelation, the US military had said coalition air strikes in Iraq and Syria had "unintentionally" killed a total of 352 civilians since 2014.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid bin Ra'ad calls on all air forces in Syria to better distinguish between military targets and civilians.