Following a regional trip to Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Turkey and Lebanon to see the impact of the Syrian crisis on children, Leila Zerrougui, the UN Special Representative of the Secretary General on Children and Armed Conflict said in a statement that “all parties must stop the shelling and use of explosive weapons in populated areas”.

Zerrougui and her predecessor have previously spoken out on the devastating impacts of explosive weapons on children including that they cause “long-lasting harm by damaging children’s emotional stability, education and future opportunities.” In the last annual report by the Special Representative to the UN General Assembly on children and armed conflict, states were urged to refrain from using explosive weapons with wide-area effects in populated areas.