Qasef: Escaping the Bombing: The Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas and Forced Displacement: Perspectives from Syrian Refugees

The Syrian civil war has raged since 2011 and has led to numerous civilian deaths and injuries and mass displacement. As a result of the conflict, over 10.9 million Syrians have been displaced: 6.1 million within Syria and 4.8 million as refugees.5 Based on a review of literature regarding the use of explosive weapons in Syria and displacement, on interviews of key informants, and on interviews of families of Syrian refugees in Jordan, this study shows that forced displacement in Syria is strongly correlated with the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.

This study confirms that the use of explosive weapons in populated areas in Syria is at times nearly continuous, with indiscriminate bombing that lasts for days. The attacks are sometimes seemingly random, until there is complete destruction of an area. All Syrians interviewed said they fled because of the various effects of the conflict, and most of them stressed that the main reason for leaving their homes was the use of explosive weapons in their villages, towns, and cities. In our interviews, explosive weapons were mentioned as the overriding factor forcing Syrians out as they fled from their homes.