UN: Syrian regime, rebels both increasing attacks on civilians
UN investigators said they have strong evidence of human rights abuses committed by both sides of the conflict in Syria, which has left more than 19,000 people, mostly civilians, dead.
UN investigators said they have strong evidence of human rights abuses committed by both sides of the conflict in Syria, which has left more than 19,000 people, mostly civilians, dead.
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As the Syrian conflict spilled into neighboring Lebanon yesterday, the United Nations released a report indicating both the Syrian Army and rebel forces had increased attacks against civilians 鈥� which, if proved, would be war crimes under international law.
UN investigators announced they have a 鈥渇ormidable and extraordinary body of evidence鈥� of human rights abuses committed by both sides of the conflict in Syria, and urged the Security Council to refer the situation to the International Criminal Court.
鈥淕ross human rights violations have grown in number, in pace, and in scale,鈥� Paulo Pinheiro, who led the UN commission of inquiry into human rights abuses in Syria, told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday. 鈥淭here is no statue of limitations on these crimes.鈥�
The United Nations estimates that over the past 18 months of conflict in Syria, more than 19,000 people 鈥� mostly civilians 鈥� have been killed. In addition, an estimated 1.2 million are now internally displaced, and close to a quarter million have fled the country.
Mr. Pinheiro, whose team conducted more than 1,100 interviews to put together their report, noted the conflict has spilled into neighboring countries. This includes both via humanitarian ramifications 鈥� large waves of refugees seeking safety, food, water, and shelter 鈥� and through overflow of actual fighting. On Monday, four missiles were reportedly fired by Syrian jets, which struck a remote area on the Lebanese side of the border, reports The Associated Press.
Monday also saw attacks on rebel-held areas of Aleppo and Damascus, reports AP.聽Pinheiro urged the international community to deploy renewed efforts to help resolve the conflict and end the ongoing violence in Syria.
Yesterday also marked the first meeting of a newly formed group of four Mideast 鈥渉eavyweights鈥� tasked with finding an end to Syria鈥檚 conflict, reports a second AP story. The group consisted of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt 鈥� all supporters of Syria鈥檚 rebels 鈥� as well as Iran, the staunch ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
鈥淣obody should expect from one meeting an immediate action plan which we agree upon and could be presented to others,鈥� said Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who added that the 鈥渞egional ownership鈥� of the Syrian crisis was the most important aspect of the gathering.
Iran recently acknowledged its direct role in aiding Mr. Assad鈥檚 army, and Ali Akbar Salehi, Iran鈥檚 foreign minister, said yesterday that 鈥渢he solution in Syria should be a Syrian solution,鈥� not 鈥渋mposed from the outside,鈥� reports AP. This stance could make any regional agreement challenging.
The Turkish foreign minister focused more on civilians, saying the ultimate goal should be 鈥渁 strong Syria鈥� based on the 鈥渓egitimate rights and demands of the people.鈥�
Yesterday鈥檚 UN report comes almost one year after the US and European Union implemented sanctions on Syria in an effort to place non-military pressure on the violent conflict there. Though the sanctions have inflicted economic pain, it may not have reached the intended ranks, reports USA Today.
Pinheiro noted that the combination of economic sanction and unabated violence has in part worsened the situation in Syria. 鈥淭he Commission maintains that sanctions result in a denial of the most basic human rights to Syrians,鈥� he said. 鈥淪carcity of basic human needs such as potable water food, electricity, petrol and cooking fuel is causing rampant inflation.鈥�