Indian army using cluster bombs on civilian population across LoC: ISPR

RAWALPINDI: The Inter-Services Public Relations on Saturday said the Indian army has been using cluster bombs to target civilians along the Line of Control (LoC).

“Indian Army uses cluster ammunition along LoC deliberately targeting Civilian population. This is a violation of the Geneva Convention and international humanitarian law,” the military’s media wing said in a statement.

“Indian Army on night July 30th/31st targeted innocent citizens including women and children in Neelum Valley through Artillery using cluster ammunition. Resultantly two civilians including a four-year-old boy martyred while 11 got critically injured,” ISPR added.

The statement further said, “Because of severe impact on non-combatants, use of cluster ammunition is prohibited under Convention on Cluster Ammunition. This blatant Indian aggression against all international norms exposes the true character of the Indian Army and their moral standing.”

Cluster munitions, or cluster bombs, are air-dropped or ground-launched explosive weapons that releases smaller ‘bomblets’ over a wide area. They pose serious risks to civilians during and after attacks, as the unexploded bomblets can kill or maim civilians long after a conflict has ended, and are costly to locate and remove.

According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), cluster munitions “kill and injure large numbers of civilians and cause long lasting socio-economic problems”.

“The 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions prohibits the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of cluster munitions and requires States to ensure that they claim no further victims,” says the ICRC.

The ISPR said it was time for the international community to take notice of India’s “blatant violation of international laws on the use of cluster ammunition targeting innocent citizens”.