More than 150 civilians were reported killed in an international coalition airstrike on Mosul’s Al-Jadida district on March 17.
“We strongly condemn the heavy price paid by civilians in Mosul since the start of the military offensive against the Islamic State group last October,” said Anne Héry, head of advocacy and institutional relations at Handicap International. "We urge all belligerent parties to protect civilians, as required by international humanitarian law. On an international level, States must immediately commit to recognizing the problems caused by the use of explosive weapons in populated areas and bring it to an end.”
Tens of thousands of civilians are still trapped in the city by fighting.
On March 15, Handicap International launched an international campaign to collect one million signatures to say “stop bombing civilians.” The organization’s goal is to collect one million signatures and to present them to political decision-makers in September 2018. As a member of the INEW (International Network on Explosive Weapons) coalition, the organization is calling on States to take a stand against the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.