(The Daily Mail)- MI6 and British police are investigating alleged
attacks on civilians by Russian war planes in Syria – with a view to
prosecuting President Vladimir Putin for war crimes, The Mail on Sunday
can reveal.
Scotland Yard detectives have flown to Lebanon to monitor air strikes in neighbouring Syria – amid claims that Russian bombers have caused hundreds of casualties by targeting hospitals and schools.
Medical charities and human rights groups have already condemned the bombing of civilians in areas controlled by Syrian rebels who oppose the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, Putin’s ally.
Now the MoS can reveal that intelligence services are compiling a secret dossier of specific assaults, which could lead to the Russian President facing allegations of crimes against humanity at an international tribunal.
The revelation comes after Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond warned Moscow last month that strikes on hospitals ‘could amount to war crimes’. Last night, Foreign Office sources confirmed that the UK is ‘closely monitoring the situation’ in Syria.
The MoS understands that British investigators, including detectives from the Metropolitan Police Service’s war crimes unit, are at the British Embassy in Beirut.
According to Amnesty International, Russia is targeting hospitals in areas held by rebel groups in an attempt to terrorise local people into supporting President Assad.
In the northern city of Aleppo, where the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) is popular, eight hospitals are understood to have been struck by missiles fired by military aircraft since September 30 last year – when Russian forces joined the conflict.
Russian and Syrian aircraft are also alleged to have targeted hospitals in other areas of the country.
On February 15, 25 people were killed when two medical buildings were attacked in the western city of Maarat Al-Numan. After the first strike, doctors moved the wounded to another hospital – which was then hit by three missiles in an hour.
All medical facilities in war zones are protected under international law. Russia has denied that its jets target hospitals, insisting its aircraft only strike ‘terrorist targets’. The Russian Embassy in London was unavailable for comment last night.
But former Foreign Secretary Lord Owen dismissed Russia’s excuses. He said: ‘Claims that Russia is only going after groups such as Islamic State are plainly false. It is time to expose such hypocrisy and Britain should lead this effort.’
An influential committee in the US Congress has also voted in favour of setting up a war crimes tribunal for Syria.
US diplomats are now expected to seek support for the move at the United Nations. Evidence compiled by Britain would be put before such a tribunal. Scotland Yard declined to comment.
Scotland Yard detectives have flown to Lebanon to monitor air strikes in neighbouring Syria – amid claims that Russian bombers have caused hundreds of casualties by targeting hospitals and schools.
Medical charities and human rights groups have already condemned the bombing of civilians in areas controlled by Syrian rebels who oppose the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, Putin’s ally.
Now the MoS can reveal that intelligence services are compiling a secret dossier of specific assaults, which could lead to the Russian President facing allegations of crimes against humanity at an international tribunal.
The revelation comes after Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond warned Moscow last month that strikes on hospitals ‘could amount to war crimes’. Last night, Foreign Office sources confirmed that the UK is ‘closely monitoring the situation’ in Syria.
The MoS understands that British investigators, including detectives from the Metropolitan Police Service’s war crimes unit, are at the British Embassy in Beirut.
According to Amnesty International, Russia is targeting hospitals in areas held by rebel groups in an attempt to terrorise local people into supporting President Assad.
In the northern city of Aleppo, where the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) is popular, eight hospitals are understood to have been struck by missiles fired by military aircraft since September 30 last year – when Russian forces joined the conflict.
Russian and Syrian aircraft are also alleged to have targeted hospitals in other areas of the country.
On February 15, 25 people were killed when two medical buildings were attacked in the western city of Maarat Al-Numan. After the first strike, doctors moved the wounded to another hospital – which was then hit by three missiles in an hour.
All medical facilities in war zones are protected under international law. Russia has denied that its jets target hospitals, insisting its aircraft only strike ‘terrorist targets’. The Russian Embassy in London was unavailable for comment last night.
But former Foreign Secretary Lord Owen dismissed Russia’s excuses. He said: ‘Claims that Russia is only going after groups such as Islamic State are plainly false. It is time to expose such hypocrisy and Britain should lead this effort.’
An influential committee in the US Congress has also voted in favour of setting up a war crimes tribunal for Syria.
US diplomats are now expected to seek support for the move at the United Nations. Evidence compiled by Britain would be put before such a tribunal. Scotland Yard declined to comment.
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