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Thailand bans film over depictions of Buddhist monks

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Buddhist body says Arbat could destroy the religion with its intimate scenes and depiction of monk taking drugs.

Buddhist monks, traditionally revered in Thailand, have been rocked by a number of scandals [EPA]

Buddhist monks, traditionally revered in Thailand, have been rocked by a number of scandals [EPA]

by Al Jazeera

A Thai horror film about Buddhist monks has been banned over fears it could “destroy” the kingdom’s majority faith, authorities say.

The culture ministry on Tuesday objected to certain parts of the film Arbat, including a kissing scene and one where a monk is shown taking drugs.

The clergy have long been revered in overwhelmingly Buddhist Thailand but in recent years have been rocked by scandals, including gambling and prostitution, as well as corruption at the increasingly wealthy temples propped by donations from the faithful.

“The movie has some scenes that will destroy Buddhism. If it is shown, people’s faith in Buddhism will deteriorate,” Somchai Surachatri, spokesman for Thailand’s National Office of Buddhism, told AFP news agency.

His office sits on the censorship committee at the culture ministry.

On Tuesday the film’s producer Sahamongkol Film International said it was “preparing to adjust some parts of the movie” before resubmitting it for consideration.

“We will try to maintain the essence and plot of the story as far as we can,” it said in a Facebook post.

Arbat, which translates from Thai as “violations committed by monks”, was scheduled for nationwide release on Thursday.

Corruption scandal

Thailand’s monks have come under increasing fire for their embrace of commercialism in recent years.

In April the Dhammakaya temple, one of the richest in the kingdom, returned about $20m given by a company executive later accused of embezzling the cash.

Donations have long formed the bedrock of Thai Buddhism.

Every morning barefooted monks make alms rounds in their local neighbourhoods while many devotees “make merit” by gifting money to temples.

The case of notoriously flashy monk, Wiraphol Sukphol, taking selfies while flying in a private jet triggered particular outrage.

Other embarrassing incidents in recent months include a monk arrested for multiple sexual assaults, clergy dressed in civilian clothes drinking alcohol and crashing a car, and monks, who are expected to be celibate, having girlfriends.

Review: ‘Moteram Ka Satyagrah’ is a delightful Hindi play which entertains the audiences beyond imagination

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Moteram Ka Satyagrah

Director: M. S. Sathyu
Writer & Adapter: Habib Tanveer & Safdar Hashmi
Assistant Director & Production-in-charge: Vikas Yadav
Music: Kuldeep Singh
Cast: Avinash Kumar, Paritosh Tiwari, Hempushpak Arora, Priya Sahdev, Anupam Kumar, Nishant Srivastava, Saumya Srivastav, Noman Khan, Vikas Yadav, Ishika Bachhan, Vaishnavi Fendor, Abhishek Srivastava, Kaamna Pathak, Rohit Chaudhary, Shankar Purohit, Sunraj Dev, Suresh Kumar, Ramesh Rajhans, Ravi Kumar, Aanjjan Srivastav, Nivedita Baunthiyal, Shakir Ali, Satyendra, Sunny Dixit et al.

The latest Hindi play ‘Moteram Ka Satyagrah’ is based on a story “Satyagraha” penned by Munshi Premchand, written & adapted by Habib Tanveer & Safdar Hashmi & above all directed by none other than extremely versatile director M. S. Sathyu.

This time around IPTA has offered tribute to Munshi Prem Chand one of the finest writers of Indian Subcontinent on his death anniversary by performing a play ‘Moteram Ka Satyagraha’ inspired from his own story on 8th & 9th Oct, 2015 at Prithvi Theatre, Juhu.

The play ‘Moteram Ka Satyagrah’ is a musical comic satire on governance directed by M. S. Sathyu, a National Award-winning director best known for his film ‘Garam Hawa or ‘Scorching Winds’.

Set in Benaras during the British rule the play ‘Moteram Ka Satyagrah’ highlighted the larger issues of relationship between Religion & Politics which are still relevant today.

The story is about a Brahmin from Benaras called Moteram who falls a prey to his greed. The story begins when the magistrate Sir William Parkinson got the news of a Viceroy visiting the town of Benaras that made him tense. He wishes to portray Benaras as a very smart & beautiful city and seek help from his 7 unintelligent Officers. The magistrate accepted all their suggestions which lead to a chaos in the city of Benaras. Angry by his decisions the people of Benaras decided to boycott the Viceroy’s visit and planned to declare Hartal. When the magistrate came to know about this he bribed Pandit Moteram to go on a hunger strike to control all the revolutionaries. Moteram blackmailed the people of Benaras on religious lines and tried convincing that the Bristish empire is for their good.

The play deals with whether or not Panditji succeeds in controlling his hunger? And to what extent the magistrate will go to save his position even at the cost of the people of Benaras.

The protagonist Pandit Moteram Shastri, a role enacted by Aanjjan Srivastav was undoubtedly the soul of the play. The audience was completely mesmerized by his performance. His dialogue delivery, facial expression, gestures and his looks set the stage on fire. On the other hand Nivedita Baunthiyal who played his wife supported the protagonist amazingly. She was completely into her character as a devoting wife. While Abhishek Srivastava who played Lord William Parkinson did complete justice to his character. He was stupendous and took the audience on a hilarious trip with his Hindi accent. Besides him all the characters of the play comprising of Avinash Kumar, Paritosh Tiwari, Hempushpak Arora, Priya Sahdev, Anupam Kumar, Nishant Srivastava, Saumya Srivastav, Noman Khan, Vikas Yadav, Ishika Bachhan, Vaishnavi Fendor, Kaamna Pathak, Rohit Chaudhary, Shankar Purohit, Sunraj Dev, Suresh Kumar, Ramesh Rajhans, Ravi Kumar, Shakir Ali, Satyendra, Sunny Dixit. et al complimented each other very well.

The team filled with enthusiasm & energy also lighted the stage. Costumes were done by director M. S. Sathyu himself. The costumes played an important part in the play and were selected very cautiously for reflecting the Benaras of the British rule. The costumes completed the look of every character helping the audience to understand the nature of each one’s role. They communicated the message accurately & realistically. Music Director Kuldeep Singh succeeded in expressing the characters emotions through live music and established a mood for the audiences watching the play. Lighting Department was also able to pull all the aspects on the stage and enhanced the beauty of each character & scenes. The stage was beautifully illuminated creating the right mood for the play. Assistant Director Vikas Yadav did a commendable job of bringing out the best both from debutantes & talented artists. Actually speaking the USP of the play was its huge cast and their coordination which was superb.

Director M. S. Sathyu’s vision was seen throughout the play. Truly M. S. Sathyu was the Captain of the Ship, a great director, art director & stage manager. Despite being a comical play it gave a very serious message of separating religion from politics.

The play ‘Moteram Ka Satyagraha’ beautifully portrays that religion & politics are 2 different worlds and when mixed together people’s rights are trampled upon leading to aggressive opposition amongst the masses. Though it is an old play but the problem of religion & politics still exists in our country and is hampering the growth of the people & the country. The play was not only entertaining but there was a message to take back home that is relevant even after so many years when Munshi Premchand wrote the story.

Review: ‘A Fairytale Of Rapunzel’ is one English play which mesmerized audiences of all age

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A Fairytale Of Rapunzel

Writer, Producer, Director, Set Designer, Makeup: Rashmi Sharma Music: Nitin Hivarkar Lights: Abishek Srivastav Cast: Jyoti Somaya, Eshaan Sharma, Sadiq Abbas, Ruchi Sharma, Reshma Kotian et al.

‘A Fairytale of Rapunzel’ is an English musical drama in a sing song dialogue form with comedy & action. The play is written & directed by Rashmi Sharma, a veteran theatre artist & founder of Progressive Theatre group. She has been a contributor to many acclaimed shows. The show took place at Palladium Mall, Lower Parel on 3rd Oct, 2015.

The story revolves around a beautiful girl Rapunzel who is the epitome of beauty with magnificent long blond hairs. The story begins when a pregnant woman craves for rampians that grows in a splendid garden next to her house. This left her husband shocked & troubled as that garden belonged to a witch. On seeing his wife’s condition deteriorating because of those rampians he stole them from that witch’s garden and was caught red handed by the witch. The angry witch agreed to give him rampians but asked for their baby and the man out of fear consented to it. When Rapunzel was born the witch took her away from their parents and locked her in a tower without any stairs. Her mother loses her senses and her father died owing to separation from their daughter. Rapunzel grew up mesmerizingly beautiful with profound eyes & a blessed voice. She was lonely but tried to enjoy little things in life. One day a Prince falls in love with her and she too started loving him.

What will happen to Rapunzel now? Will she be able to get out of the claws of the wicked witch? Will she ever get to meet her mother? Will she be able to marry the prince?

Director Rashmi Sharma treated the play fabulously and did a good research in terms of costumes & sets. The costumes were good and helped establish connection between the characters.

The lighting department was successful in setting the mood for the play. The enthusiasm among the children was fun to see. They were completely engrossed into the play and couldn’t take their eyes off the stage.

Overall the feel was good. Music was also the highlight of the show and transported the audiences into a world of fairytale. Audiences of all the age group attended the show and the people were nostalgic remembering their days as a child. It was truly a gala affair filled with excitement.

“Ye Modi kya kya karwayega”: Haryana minister on PM Modi’s Clean India Mission

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Krishan Kumar Bedi

Chandigarh: In an embarrassment to ruling BJP in Haryana, state Minister Krishan Kumar Bedi was caught on tape while allegedly mocking the Prime Minister’s pet ‘Swachh Bharat’ campaign, prompting the opposition to take a swipe at the state government over “lack of seriousness”.

“Don’t know what all Modi will make us do,” Bedi, who is Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, is purportedly heard saying in TV footage as he held a broom in his hand while cleaning a ground in Fatehabad.

After the Minister’s remarks, other officials present at the spot with him burst into laughter. When Bedi noticed that his comments may have been captured by media present at the spot, he asked them, “I hope you are not recording it. Don’t make me land in any trouble”.

The video has since gone viral on the social media.

Bedi along with senior officials of the Fatehabad district administration was cleaning the ground at Panchayat Bhawan in Haryana’s Fatehabad on Sunday on the conclusion of a sanitation campaign there.

When reporters later sought clarification from Bedi about his remarks, the Minister, who was attending another function in Kaithal, said: “We are committed to the Swachh Bharat campaign. We want that entire Haryana should not only be clean, but healthy too”.

“Someone had brought to my notice that some officials are not taking the campaign seriously. I was telling the officials that some people are trying to publicise the fact that they (officials) are being forced to pick up the broom because of (PM) Modi.”

“I was bringing this fact to their notice that such an impression should not go out (that officials were not willingly picking up the broom to clean). Now, if someone has done some (video) recording and linked with my comment in this manner, then it is not right. I was only apprising the officials and the whole issue was in that context only and not anything else”.

Haryana Congress president Ashok Tanwar said BJP ministers “are not keen on real service and tackling real issues, but they just believe in tokenism”.

State’s main opposition INLD’s senior leader Abhay Chautala said: “This shows how serious the government and its ministers are about campaigns launched by (PM) Modi”.

The incident has caused embarrassment to the Manohar Lal Khattar Government in Haryana, which will complete one year in office this month.

However, this is not the first time when Khattar’s Ministers have courted controversy. In January this year, Bedi was in the midst of another controversy when Kurukshetra’s Civil Surgeon Vandana Bhatia had complained that Bedi had allegedly misbehaved with her over telephone, a charge which had been trashed by the Minister then.

Congress leader Ashok Tanwar said the Minister’s remarks also show “that people feel suffocated in the BJP”.

“There is authoritarian attitude of top leadership of the BJP because of which sentiments in this manner are coming out in public,” he said.

Abhay Chautala, who is Leader of Opposition, said before polls, BJP made tall promises to the people and when they allegedly failed to deliver, their Ministers make such statements to divert the attention of the people.

Earlier this year, Haryana Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma had landed stoked a controversy by allegedly using objectionable language against Jawaharlal Nehru. Later on, the senior Minister had apologised, saying he did not mean to be disrespectful or to hurt anyone’s sentiments.

Haryana’s Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar had also drawn flak for his remarks on farmers committing suicide.

(Agencies)

Punjabi writer Dalip Kaur Tiwana returns Padma Shri

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Dalip Kaur Tiwana

New Delhi: Punjabi writer Dalip Kaur Tiwana on Tuesday announced that she will return her Padma Shri in protest against the ‘rising communal tension’ in the country.

“In this land of Gautama Buddha and Guru Nanak Dev, the atrocities committed on the Sikhs in 1984 and on the Muslims recurrently because of communalism are an utter disgrace to our state and society.

“And to kill those who stand for truth and justice put us to shame in the eyes of the world and God. In protest, therefore, I return the Padma Shri award,” she wrote in a letter to the Central government.

“I condemn the rising communal tension in the country and what is happening with minorities,” she said.

Ms. Tiwana was conferred with the Padma Shri in 2004. She was also awarded the Sahitya Akademi in 1971.

(Agencies)

Police foil Jagan’s fast, shift him to hospital

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Jagan-fast

Guntur: Police foiled YSR Congress party president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy’s fast early on Tuesday by shifting him to a hospital, where he was forcibly administered fluids.

The leader of opposition was on indefinite fast for six day demanding special category status to Andhra Pradesh.

As his condition deteriorated, police swooped on the hunger strike camp here around 4 a.m. He was taken to a government hospital in an ambulance and was admitted to the intensive care unit. Doctors administered him fluids intravenously.

Jagan’s mother Vijayamma, wife Bharathi and other family members and senior party leaders rushed to the hospital to meet him.

Police had to face resistance from scores of party activists, who had arrived here from various parts of the state.

The government’s action in foiling Jagan’s fast came under criticism from the party leaders. One of the senior leaders, Botsa Satyanarayana, said the party would hold a meeting to decide its next course of action.

Jagan had vowed to continue his fast till the central government accords special status to the state.

The concern was growing among the party leaders as the leader of opposition had turned weak and was barely able to speak.

Doctors had advised Jagan to call off the fast since ketones in urine had increased alarmingly and this could have an adverse impact on the functioning of his kidneys.

(IANS)

SC rejects plea of sacked IPS officer Bhatt for SIT probe

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Sanjiv Bhatt

New Delhi: The Supreme Court today dismissed the plea of sacked Gujarat cadre IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt seeking a court-monitored SIT probe in relation to the two FIRs lodged against him for allegedly forcing his subordinate to file an affidavit in a 2002 riots case and hacking email of a law officer.

The bench comprising Chief Justice H L Dattu and Justice Arun Mishra also said the trial in these two cases be conducted “expeditiously.”

Bhatt, who had earlier sought a CBI inquiry into the two FIR, later changed his prayer and sought a court-monitored SIT probe on the ground that now the persons against whom he has certain grievances, are now running the government at Centre.

The former IPS officer had also sought impleadment of BJP president Amit Shah, the then MoS Home in the state government and RSS functionary S Gurumurthy as parties in his petition which was also rejected.

The IPS officer, dismissed from service on August 18 this year, had filed the petitions in the apex court in 2011 against the lodging of FIRs against him by the Gujarat Police.

On September 23, the apex court had reserved its verdict after Gujarat government had rubbished the claim of Bhatt that he was present at a meeting to discuss law and order situation during the 2002 communal violence at residence of the then Chief Minister.

Senior advocate Indira Jaising and lawyer Prashant Bhushan, appearing for Bhatt, had alleged collusion among top state government functionaries, the then Additional Advocate General, the then minister of state for home and some lawyers for the accused and sought court-monitored SIT probe into Bhatt’s claims.

Jaising had argued that a SIT probe, instead of seeking CBI investigation, was needed to inquire into the “collusion of the highest order” as the then Chief Minister is now the Prime Minister and the then AAG is now the Additional Solicitor General of India.

Senior advocate L Nageshwar Rao, appearing for then Additional Advocate General Tushar Mehta, had alleged that Bhatt was trying to revive whatever happened since 2002.

Earlier, the counsel for Bhatt had also alleged that he was victimised and targeted by the state government, whose strategy was to shoot the messenger for his bold speaking on the handling of law and order situation during the 2002 riots.

One of the Bhatt’s petitions pertains to an FIR lodged by Gujarat Police-constable K D Panth in Ahmedabad alleging that Bhatt had pressurised him to sign an affidavit testifying that the IPS officer had participated in a high-level meeting after the Godhra carnage.

In another FIR, he has been accused of allegedly hacking then state’s Additional Advocate General Tushar Mehta’s e-mail account.

The apex court had earlier stayed criminal proceedings against the officer.

Bhatt in his plea had also sought fresh investigation against him in all cases with a plea for direction to Internet service providers to preserve all data he has put in the applications.

(Agencies)

US anti-Islam rallies ‘fizzle’ nationwide

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Interfaith support quashes anti-Muslim rallies

A grand total of zero anti-Muslim activists attended today's rally in Huntsville, Alabama #HateUnchecked

A grand total of zero anti-Muslim activists attended today’s rally in Huntsville, Alabama #HateUnchecked

by Common Dreams

A series of planned anti-Islam rallies targeting more than 20 U.S. cities Saturday fizzled out despite extensive social media promotion; morphing instead into a welcomed show of support and tolerance.

In Armarillo, Texas, police department Cpl. Cody Lavery told the Amarillo Globe News “All of these people are supporters of the center. Everything’s been very peaceful so far, and the protestors haven’t shown up yet.” At the Khursheed Unissa Memorial Community Center in Amarillo,  more than 100 people opposing the anti-Islam rally came out in an impromptu show of support.

In Dearborn, Michigan, the media and police reportedly out-numbered all protesters at the anti-Islam rally. As media reports began to preview the protest, Dearborn Mayor Jack O’Reilly told citizens Friday to go about their business and ignore the visitors, who billed their event a Global Rally For Humanity. Counter-protesters and others saw it as an unwarranted attack on an entire religious group holding up signs that read, “No to Anti-Islam Bigots” and “Unity Yes! Racism No!” while chanting “Stop Terrorizing Muslims at Home and America!” and “Hey hey, ho ho, racist fascists got to go!” Fewer than 10 anti-Islam protestors reportedly showed up, four carrying weapons.

The protests were billed as “open carry” events and participants were encouraged to come armed with guns.

The United Church of Christ (UCC) also issued a call on Friday for local congregations to show support and solidarity with Muslims across the country over the weekend.

“I want to say as clearly as I can, and in no uncertain terms, that the United Church of Christ stands in full solidarity with people of the Muslim faith,” wrote UCC president Rev. John C. Dorhauer.

“Their contribution to religion, to peace, to humanity, and to the goodness of all is to be celebrated. The United Church of Christ deplores the narrow-mindedness that fails to see this and seeks instead to engender fear, hatred, and anxiety.”

Meanwhile, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, said Sunday that the anti-Islam hate rallies planned at mosques nationwide on Saturday “fizzled” and that interfaith partners turned out at a number of mosques to show their support for the Muslim community. CAIR noted that one hate rally in Phoenix included apparent neo-Nazis wearing swastika symbols. “We are pleased that what was planned as a campaign of hate and marginalization turned instead into a show of support for the American Muslim community and for religious inclusion,” said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper.   CAIR listed a number of images and media reports contrasting non-existent or poor turnout for the hate rallies with enthusiastic support for Muslims by interfaith partners: CAIR Photo: 25 People of Other Faiths Turn Out at Maryland Mosque to Show Support Against Haters CAIR-OK Photo: Interfaith Partners Show Support for Muslims in Oklahoma CAIR-OK: Islam Haters ‘Few and Far Between’ in Oklahoma Photo: Lone, Possibly Illiterate Anti-Islam Protester in Oklahoma City Video: Sad and Lonely Hater Outside Plano, Texas, Mosque at Jummah TX: Anti-Islam Protester Outnumbered 100 to 1 TX: People Show Support for Local Mosque After Concerns Over Rumored Anti-Islam Rally TX: Handful of Islamophobes Show Up at Richardson Mosque – Given Water by Congregation AL: Planned Protest Outside Huntsville Islamic Center Falls Flat TN: Supporters Outnumber Protesters at Mosque WA: Interfaith Celebration Counter Anti-Islam Protests CAIR-WA: No Anti-Islam Protesters, But Interfaith partners Show Support for Muslim Community WA: Other Faiths Stand with Spokane Muslims WA: Friends of Muslim community in Kitsap County Gather MI: Rally Against Islam Outnumbered by Counter Protesters Oregon Anti-Muslim Rally “Re-Branded” as Pro-Police MA: Mayor Walsh Stands with Hub’s Muslims Video: CAIR-SFBA Director Zahra Billoo Says Anti-Islam Hate Rallies Will Expose Islamophobia

Iraq: ISIL leader Baghdadi’s convoy hit in air strike

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Military says Baghdadi’s convoy was struck near border with Syria, adding that his health situation was unknown.

ISIL, led by Baghdadi, last year proclaimed a caliphate straddling Iraqi and Syria [AP]

ISIL, led by Baghdadi, last year proclaimed a caliphate straddling Iraqi and Syria [AP]

by Al Jazeera

Iraqi security forces say they have struck the convoy of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group, in an air strike near the country’s border with Syria.

“The Iraqi air force carried out a heroic operation targeting the convoy of the criminal terrorist Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi,” Iraq’s security forces said in a statement on Sunday.

“His health status is unknown,” it said.

Pentagon officials told Al Jazeera that they could not “corroborate or confirm the Iraqi government claim of striking or killing Baghdadi at this point”.

Iraqi security sources have previously claimed several times that Baghdadi had been injured or killed in strikes, but the claims were either never verified or later denied.

The army statement said Iraqi aircraft struck Baghdadi’s convoy as it was “moving towards Karabla to attend a meeting of the Daesh terrorist leaders”.

Daesh is an Arabic acronym for the ISIL group, which last year proclaimed a caliphate straddling Iraqi and Syria.

Karabla is located on the Euphrates river barely five kilometres from the border with Syria. The statement did not make clear when the strike was carried out.

Coordinated air strike

The statement said the operation was conducted in coordination with Iraq’s interior ministry intelligence services and the joint operation command centre that includes military advisers from the US-led coalition.

ISIL supporters said on Twitter on Sunday that even if Baghdadi has been killed, his self-proclaimed caliphate will survive.

“Does the entire world not know that even if, hypothetically, our Sheikh al-Baghdadi, God save and protect him from all evils and dangers, was martyred, do you think the State of the Caliphate would end? Do you think we would leave?” said a tweet from a supporter.

An ISIL fighter told the Reuters news agency on the phone that he could not confirm whether Baghdadi had been in the convoy that was struck, but he said the group would fight on whatever his fate: “Even if he was martyred then it will not affect the Islamic State. We will lose a leader, but there are a thousand Baghdadis.

“Every minute a leader is born in the Islamic State.”

Evidence mounts of Russian cluster-bomb use in Syria

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Rights group backs activists’ accusation of Russia dropping munitions from jets or giving them to Assad government.

Activists say Russian warplanes dropped cluster bombs in the suburbs of Idlib and Hama [Reuters]

Activists say Russian warplanes dropped cluster bombs in the suburbs of Idlib and Hama [Reuters]

by Al Jazeera

Human Rights Watch has echoed accusations by Syrian activists that Russia was behind the use of new advanced cluster munitions in Syria, by dropping them from its warplanes or supplying them to the Assad government.

The New York-based group said that photographs it obtained showed that the cluster munitions were dropped on Kafr Halab, a village southwest of Syria’s second city of Aleppo, on October 4.

“It’s disturbing that yet another type of cluster munition is being used in Syria given the harm they cause to civilians for years to come,” said Nadim Houry, Human Rights Watch’s deputy Middle East director.

“Neither Russia nor Syria should use cluster munitions, and both should join the international ban without delay.”

Russia launched an aerial bombing campaign against opponents of President Bashar al-Assad on September 30.

Cluster munitions contain dozens or hundreds of bomblets and are fired in rockets or dropped from the air.

Widely banned, they spread explosives over large areas and are indiscriminate in nature, often continuing to maim and kill long after the initial attack when previously unexploded bomblets detonate.

Their use in Kafr Halab coincides with the emergence of evidence that they have been used in the provinces of Aleppo, Hama and Idlib since Russia launched its intervention.

Activists’ accounts

Human Rights Watch said it “cannot conclusively determine whether Russian or Syrian forces were responsible for the attack” on October 4.

It noted that neither country had banned their use.

A video posted on October 7 by activists that was reportedly taken in the town of Kafr Zeita, northwest of Hama, shows smoke trails of ground-fired rockets launched from the direction of Jabal Zayn al-Abidin and multiple subsequent explosions of submunitions in the town.

Photographs and a video posted online by local activists in October, with title text that says they were taken at Masaran village in Idlib, shows at least one unexploded AO-2.5RT submunition and the remnants of an RBK-500 canister, which can contain up to 108 submunitions.

Reuters published a photograph taken in Masaran that shows a first responder handling unexploded AO-2.5RT submunitions that local activists told the news agency were used in an attack by the Russian air force on October 7.

Human Rights Watch has documented the use of cluster munitions before in the Syrian conflict, with government forces dropping them from the air since 2012, and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group firing them from rockets since late 2014.

According to RT television network, Russia is using in Syria “time-proven bombs and missiles equipped with state-of-the-art system guidance. Precision weapons are used from high altitudes to exclude encounters with portable air-defence systems”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told local media that Russia has the will to use these advanced weapons “if it meets the national interests of our state and the Russian people”.

The Syrian conflict, which began as an uprising against Assad’s government in 2011, has killed up to 250,000 people and forced millions to flee the country.

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