A Syrian government jet fighter attacked one of the Violations Documentation Center (VDC) in Syria offices in Damascus Ghouta with two missiles at four o’clock in the afternoon on Saturday, July 22, 2016. According to confirmed evidence, the attack occurred during an attack on civilian areas in Doma city in eastern Ghota. The attack led to considerable material damage and the destruction of the office.
VDC office director, Thaer Hijazi, mentioned that “Doma city and the rest of eastern Ghota cities are under a heavy attack for a week now, where the frequency was noticeably increased during the last week. Yesterday the main city market was attacked resulting in nine deaths, while today the attack started at noon and in the beginning focused on the city outer neighbourhoods but moved to the city centre later.
The total number of attacks today was twelve, resulting in 70 injuries and 4 deaths. At four in the afternoon, Damascus time, one of the VDC offices was attacked by two missiles launched from Syrian government jet fighters. The attacked building hosts other civil organization offices like the Local Development Office, The Hurras Network, an office for Rising for Freedom, and an office for the Syrian Non-Violence Movement – all considered to be opposition. The attack did not result in any human casualties but considerable material damage and the destruction of the office.”
The VDC strongly condemns this bombing, and it considers it to be in line with the other systematic and continues hostile activities carried out by the Syrian government against the civilians in Ghota area. The VDC ensures the continuity of its independent legal work in documenting the violations against human rights and the International Humanitarian Law in the Ghota and the rest of Syria from all parties to ensure the fulfilment of its main objective of bringing about justice for the victims and hold perpetrators for the war crimes accountable.