"Widespread attacks and sieges on civilian areas in Syria by pro-government forces are leading to mass casualties, malnutrition and starvation," said the commission in its seventh report, covering the six-month period between 15 July 2013 and 20 January 2014.
Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, head of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syrian Arab Spring, held a press conference on Wednesday before handing the report on Syria to the UN`s Human Rights Council. Pinheiro said the Syrian regime commits mass killings in civilian areas.
The report says more than 250 thousand people are besieged and exposed to heavy bombings, leaving them no choice but to surrender or starve to death.
The humanitarian commission called on groups fighting around the Yarmouk camp, near Damascus, to cease fire, to allow a humanitarian aid corridor to those in urgent need in the camp. It offers shelter to 18,000 Palestinian refugees.
Previously, the UN had only blamed the Syrian government for committing crimes against humanity. Thursday's report also hit out at regime forces, however, saying the military and its allied militias were continuing systematic murders, torture, rape and enforced disappearances.
The commissioned said government forces were using siege warfare and starvation against civilians as part of their military strategy. More than 250,000 people remain besieged the country, which is embroiled in three-year civil war.
Many people were "denied humanitarian aid, food and such basic necessities as medical care, and must choose between surrender and starvation," it said, accusing the government of a "starvation until submission campaign."
Voice of Russia, DW, turkishpress.com, lse.co.uk
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_03_06/UN-report-accuses-Syrian-rebels-of-committing-crimes-against-humanity-1773/
5/3/14
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Syrie : les attaques contre les zones civiles causent morts et famine – rapport d'enquête...
La Commission d'enquête, qui a été créée par le Conseil des droits de l'homme des Nations Unies, a constaté que les combats autour du camp de Yarmouk et d'autres zones du Grand Damas doivent cesser immédiatement pour permettre à l'assistance humanitaire d'atteindre les civils affectés.
Pour la première fois, la Commission a également identifié des groupes armés non-étatiques spécifiques qui ont utilisé la torture dans le gouvernorat d'Al-Raqqah.
« Les groupes armés pro-gouvernementaux et non-étatiques ont commis des massacres », affirme la Commission d'enquête, dont le rapport sera présenté au Conseil des droits de l'homme le 18 mars...............................http://www.un.org/apps/newsFr/storyF.asp?NewsID=32155&Cr=Syrie&Cr1#.UxecLs5ql5Y
5/3/14
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Sarin used in two Syria chemical attacks appear to come from army stockpile -UN....
ReplyDeleteChemical weapons used in two incidents in Syria last year appear to come from the stockpiles of the Syrian military, United Nations human rights investigators said on Wednesday in a report that went beyond previous findings.
The team of independent experts, led by Brazilian Paulo Pinheiro, said that so far they had confirmed the deadly nerve agent sarin was used in three incidents: the Damascus suburb of al-Ghouta on Aug. 21, in Khan al-Assal near Aleppo in March 2013 and in Saraqeb near the northern town of Idlib last April.
The first two attacks bore "the same unique hallmarks", according to the team of some two dozen investigators who include a military advisor.
"The evidence available concerning the nature, quality and quantity of the agents used on 21 August indicated that the perpetrators likely had access to the chemical weapons stockpile of the Syrian military, as well as the expertise and equipment necessary to manipulate safely large amount of chemical agents," the U.N. investigators said in the report.
"Concerning the incident in Khan al-Assal on 19 March, the chemical agents used in that attack bore the same unique hallmarks as those used in al-Ghouta," it said.
Pinheiro said his team was investigating up to 20 incidents where chemical weapons were used.
Chief United Nations investigator Ake Sellstrom, who led a team of inspectors to Syria, reported in December that chemical weapons were likely used in five out of seven attacks they had examined, but did not assign blame.
Sellstrom, without categorically saying which side was to blame, then said in January that it was "difficult to see" how the opposition could have weaponised the toxins used...........http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_03_06/Sarin-used-in-two-Syria-chemical-attacks-appear-to-come-from-army-stockpile-UN-6037/
6/3/14