Ethan Rhodes
Syrian and Russian government forces have been accused of deliberately targeting hospitals and medical facilities as a military strategy to wreak havoc in insurgent-held areas and trigger civilian displacement. This has resulted in the killing of doctors, nurses, and medical aids, as well as the detention of medical professionals. The Syrian government denies these claims and any accusations of bombing hospitals. The ongoing conflict in Syria has led to the innovative use of field hospitals, which provide basic life support, wound care, and life-saving surgeries in dangerous and austere environments.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Hospitals in Syria | Have been targeted by Syrian and Russian government forces |
| Are protected under international humanitarian law | |
| Are defined by the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 | |
| Syrian Field Hospitals | Provide basic life support and wound care |
| Perform life-saving surgeries to control peripheral or internal bleeding, fractures, amputations, burn care, etc. |
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What You'll Learn
Syrian and Russian forces have targeted hospitals as a military strategy
Since the Syrian Civil War began, hospitals and medical facilities in Syria have been targeted and bombed by Syrian government forces and their allies, including Russia. These attacks have been described as a "sophisticated strategy" and a military strategy to wreak havoc in insurgent-held areas and trigger civilian displacement.
According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, a local monitoring group, at least 27 hospitals, including eight in the Aleppo governorate, have been targeted by Russian and Syrian government forces since September 2015. Physicians for Human Rights estimates that there have been over 300 attacks on medical facilities by Syrian and Russian forces between March 2011 and August 2015, with 90% of attacks conducted by Syrian government forces. These attacks have resulted in the deaths of medical personnel and civilians, and have disrupted the provision of essential healthcare services in the country.
Amnesty International has also reported that Syrian and Russian government forces have "deliberately and systematically" targeted hospitals and medical personnel in violation of international humanitarian law. They found that hospitals in opposition-controlled areas around Aleppo became a primary target for Russian and Syrian government forces, eliminating a vital lifeline for civilians and forcing them to flee. The Syrian government has denied these allegations and has never acknowledged bombing a hospital.
The United Nations (UN) has also been criticized for its failure to adequately address the targeting of hospitals in Syria. While the UN has implemented measures such as "humanitarian deconfliction" to protect medical workers, there are concerns that the system is vulnerable to error and abuse. Additionally, the UN's inability to publicly acknowledge or criticize the attacks highlights the challenges in enforcing international humanitarian law and protecting medical facilities in conflict zones.
The targeting of hospitals and medical personnel by Syrian and Russian forces has had devastating consequences, with thousands of patients losing their lives due to a lack of access to medical care. Medical personnel in Syria have demonstrated creativity and courage in their efforts to save lives, often risking their own lives in the process. They have established underground field hospitals and used innovative techniques to provide surgical and medical care in brutal urban military conflict zones.
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Syrian authorities used medicine as a weapon
Since the war in Syria began, several independent organizations have reported the use of medicine as a weapon by Syrian authorities. This includes the killing of doctors and the arrest of patients seeking treatment in hospitals. According to Doctors Without Borders, at least 120 Syrian doctors, 65 medical aids, and 50 nurses have been killed, and more than 469 doctors have been detained. Doctors are targeted not only because they treat the injured but also because they are involved in the movement. The wounded avoid public hospitals for fear of being tortured or arrested by security forces. As a result, clandestine treatment facilities have been set up, and doctors provide false diagnoses to help patients evade security forces.
The Syrian government has been accused of deliberately and systematically targeting medical personnel and facilities as a military strategy to create chaos in insurgent-held areas and force civilian displacement. These actions are considered serious violations of international humanitarian law and amount to war crimes. The Geneva Conventions, signed by every nation on Earth, seek to ensure that civilians have access to healthcare during wartime and that medical workers can operate safely. Despite these protections, hospitals in Syria continue to be targeted, and the government denies any wrongdoing.
The conflict in Syria has severely impacted the country's healthcare system. A 2012 World Health Organization (WHO) report found that nearly 50% of hospitals were non-functional due to a lack of staff, equipment, and medicine. Syrian doctors have had to resort to innovative measures to provide medical care, often risking their lives in the process. They have set up underground systems and field hospitals to deliver surgical and medical care in urban conflict zones.
The situation has led organizations like Doctors Without Borders and MSF to seek official authorization to provide aid to Syrians, but their efforts have been largely unsuccessful. Instead, they have had to treat patients outside Syria and support doctors' networks inside the country by providing medicine, medical supplies, and surgical kits. The injured are treated in residential houses or clandestine facilities, and serious cases are transferred secretly to private hospitals. The conflict in Syria has highlighted the fragility of global norms, laws, and institutions designed to protect civilians and medical workers in times of war.
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Syrian doctors have used underground systems to deliver medical care
Syrian doctors have been forced to innovate in the face of a brutal and protracted civil war. Since the conflict began, there have been widespread reports of the Syrian regime using medicine as a weapon, killing doctors, and arresting patients seeking treatment. The Syrian government has also been accused of deliberately targeting hospitals, medical personnel, and humanitarian convoys, in violation of international humanitarian law.
To mitigate these challenges, Syrian doctors have developed an underground system to deliver surgical and medical care. This system involves building entire hospitals underground, in basements, caves, and bunkers, fortified with sandbags and concrete walls. These underground hospitals are designed to protect patients and medical staff from aerial attacks and shelling. They are often located in besieged areas, where communities are placed under siege, and access to essential drugs and medical supplies is limited.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, has been providing large-scale support to these underground and improvised healthcare facilities. MSF works with Syrian doctors who are determined to operate on the wounded, deliver babies, and provide emergency care to critically ill patients. MSF supports over 100 healthcare structures in government-held areas and opposition-controlled zones, often focusing on areas where international aid cannot reach.
The benefits of underground hospitals extend beyond protection from attacks. Working underground helps medics feel more secure, addressing the dire shortage of healthcare workers in Syria. The increased security provided by these underground facilities encourages trained doctors to stay and treat patients in opposition areas. Additionally, underground hospitals can serve as long-term healthcare infrastructure in a post-conflict Syria.
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Hospitals in Syria have been bombed
The Syrian government denies these claims and has never acknowledged bombing a hospital, either by accident or otherwise. However, in 2015, there were over 300 attacks on medical facilities by Syrian and Russian forces. From May to December 2016, medical facilities were attacked about 200 times by the same forces. Hospitals in Aleppo were attacked multiple times. Before March 2016, more than six hospitals were attacked in the Aleppo Governorate. In April 2016, over two dozen people were killed when a Russian airstrike hit a hospital that served as the area's primary pediatric care facility.
The UN has been operating a mechanism for humanitarian deconfliction in Syria since 2014, under which hospitals can voluntarily register their GPS coordinates on a "no-strike list" shared with Russia, Turkey, and the United States. However, since the start of a Russian-backed loyalist offensive in April, airstrikes have reportedly hit several "deconflicted" clinics. This has led rights groups and UN officials to question if the no-strike list is being used to target and destroy medical facilities.
The Syrian and Russian governments deny these accusations, claiming that Western diplomats are engaging in disinformation. However, Physicians for Human Rights, a New York City-based NGO, documented at least 583 attacks on medical workers in Syria from 2011 to October 2019, with 266 occurring since Russia intervened in September 2015. The group also reported that at least 916 medical workers had been killed during this period.
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Syrian and Russian governments deny targeting hospitals
Since the Syrian Civil War began, hospitals and medical facilities have been targeted in attacks. Syrian and Russian government forces have been accused of deliberately targeting hospitals as part of their military strategy. This has been denied by both governments.
According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, at least 27 hospitals have been targeted by Russian and Syrian government forces since 2015. The Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) reported that 13 hospitals were targeted in Aleppo between December 2015 and February 2016, with four medical staff and 45 civilians killed in these attacks. Physicians for Human Rights estimates that medical facilities were attacked over 300 times between 2011 and 2015, with 90% of attacks conducted by Syrian government forces.
Amnesty International has stated that Syrian and Russian forces have "deliberately and systematically" targeted hospitals and medical personnel, violating international humanitarian law and committing war crimes. They found that hospitals in opposition-controlled areas around Aleppo were targeted, leaving civilians with no choice but to flee. Medical workers have also reported that the Syrian government's strategy is to empty towns by targeting hospitals, water, and electricity first, to facilitate ground invasions.
Despite the evidence and accusations, the Syrian and Russian governments continue to deny targeting hospitals. They claim that their actions do not violate international law and that they are not responsible for the attacks on medical facilities. In 2019, Russia announced its decision to quit a UN agreement that aimed to protect hospitals and medical facilities in Syria. This agreement involved sharing the locations of medical facilities with conflicting parties to prevent them from being targeted.
The repeated denial of responsibility by Syria and Russia, along with their withdrawal from protective agreements, highlights a concerning trend. With limited accountability and a pattern of attacks on hospitals, the situation for medical facilities and humanitarian aid in Syria remains precarious.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, there are military hospitals in Syria. However, they have frequently been targeted by Russian and Syrian government forces, complicating the treatment of wounded civilians and soldiers.
No, according to the Geneva Conventions, fighting parties are prohibited from attacking doctors, ambulances, hospitals, or field hospitals displaying a Red Cross or Red Crescent emblem. Such targeting is considered a war crime.
The targeting of hospitals has had devastating consequences, with thousands of patients losing their lives due to a lack of access to medical care and essential supplies. It has also led to the displacement of civilians, as hospitals in opposition-controlled areas were targeted, forcing people to flee.
Yes, Syrian field hospitals have served as a creative solution during the military conflict in Syria. These field hospitals provide basic life support, wound care, and, in some cases, life-saving surgeries.
Syrian and Russian government forces have been accused by Amnesty International and other organizations of deliberately and systematically targeting hospitals as part of their military strategy. Both governments deny the charges, despite evidence suggesting otherwise.
