Kristyan Benedict: “Airstrikes alone aren't going to defeat IS"

Kristyan Benedict, UK Campaigns Manager for Amnesty International, told Middle East Eye that there needed to be more elaboration on the nature of the bombing in Syria and the longterm strategy for stabilisation.

“Airstrikes alone aren't going to defeat IS. The wider civilian protection needs of Syrians don’t seem to be factored in to the current UK strategy. If they do genuinely want to have  focus on civilian protection then there’s a whole range ofo ther measures that needs to be taken, humanitarian and diplomatic in particular.

"It would be useful if the UK government could expand more on how they’re going to address the humanitarian needs of civilians in Raqqa, in Deir Ez-Zor and Hasakah and other parts of northern of Syria who are potentialy going to be displaced by increased bombing raids. What are their measures, whether its increasing funding to the UN so they can be delivering more aid into the north of Syria, whether they're going to be pressing on Turkey and others to open their borders to let in people fleeing, whether they’re going to invest more in the camps - that’s a factor.

"In terms of the airstrikes - a lot more needs to be said around their rules of engagement, over what accountability there will be, as often happens in armed conflicts, if civilians or civilian objects are hit. They need to be much more explicit about that.

"The wider concern is what the plan is for long term stabilisation. Who will be on the ground to fill a void if IS are defeated and pushed out. At the moment, it’s the regime who will more than likely fill that void.

"Is that a victory? Is that a win?"