Human Rights Watch: Syrian government indiscriminately targets civilians with crude bombs

This photo provided by the anti-government activist group Aleppo Media Center (AMC), which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows Syrian people carry their belongings from a building that was hit by Syrian government airstrike in Aleppo , in Aleppo, Syria, Monday, April 28, 2014. Dozens of people were killed and wounded in fighting between pro-Assad forces and rebels in the northern city of Aleppo on Sunday, reported the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The fight for Aleppo is particularly important now, with analysts saying they expect Assad's forces will try wrest as much of the city as possible before elections. (AP Photo/Aleppo Media Center AMC) (The Associated Press)

BEIRUT – An international rights organization says the Syrian government is indiscriminately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure with crude bombs in rebel-held districts of the northern city of Aleppo.

Human Rights Watch says its activists have documented 85 locations in Aleppo's opposition-held districts that government aircraft shelled with barrel bombs — makeshift, shrapnel-packed explosive devices rolled out of helicopters.

The New York-based group says in a report Tuesday that the attacks occurred between Feb. 22 and April 2.

The U.N. Security Council is meeting on Wednesday to review whether Syria's warring sides are complying with a resolution demanding the cessation of the use of barrel bomb and other weapons in populated areas.

HRW activists identified the locations after interviewing witnesses and analyzing satellite imagery and video and photographic evidence.