Human Rights Commissioner Calls For Enquiry Into Alleged Execution Of Syrian Govt Soldiers

Human Rights Commissioner Calls For Enquiry Into Alleged Execution Of Syrian Govt Soldiers

Amid growing concern over the escalating violence that is resulting in heavy loss of human lives, the United Nations highest-ranking official on human rights made an urgent call for enquiry into alleged executions of Syrian government soldiers by opposition groups.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, NaviPillay, Friday called for an independent investigation into whether war crimes had been committed involving armed opposition groups in Syria who have allegedly executed dozens of government soldiers held captive in Aleppo in northern Syria in July.

"Based on the analysis by my team to date, we believe armed opposition groups in one incident - documented in a video (film) - executed at least 30 individuals, the majority of whom appeared to be soldiers," Pillay said in a statement released by her office.

Describing the allegations of the killings following a battle in Khan Al-Assai in rural Aleppo as "deeply shocking", Pillay emphasised the need to ensure that those responsible for violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law on all sides of the conflict are made accountable.

The UN, through Pillay, has expressed shock at the alleged killings; opposition forces in Khan Al-Assal had reportedly made a video film and posted on the Internet during the last week of July a series of video films, with one film showing government soldiers being ordered to lie on the ground.

According to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), another film showed several bodies of the soldiers lying along a wall while another one showed a number of bodies at a nearby site.

Pillay commented that these images, if verified, suggest that executions were carried out in Khan Al-Assal.

She called for a "thorough independent investigation" to establish whether war crimes had been committed. "And those responsible for such crimes should be brought to justice," she stressed.

However, there is another video film which showed bodies being taken by members of the Red Crescent and Free Syrian Army medical doctors, according to the OHCHR.

Other video films showed the bodies of government soldiers scattered around town, most of whom appeared to have been shot in the head. Furthermore, the OHCHR had received information that opposition fighters were still holding government officers and soldiers captured in Khan Al-Assai.

Addressing all the parties involved in the conflict, the OHCHR said that the UN high commissioner would like to remind that all persons no longer taking part in hostilities, including captured and wounded soldiers, should be treated, in all circumstances, humanely and in accordance with international law.

The OHCHR said that it would continue to investigate the circumstances and the extent of the killings, including reports that the overall number of those killed had been much higher.

The OHCHR said that UN officials investigating the killings had been allowed to visit Khan Al-Assai as part of a separate probe into three sites in the country to investigate allegations of chemical weapons use.

But Pillay also renewed her call to the Syrian Government to allow representatives from her office and the Commission of Inquiry on Syria to get access to the country so that they could investigate human rights' violations, regardless of who committed them.

She assessed the incidents in Khal Al-Assal as "further evidence that flagrant violations of international humanitarian and human rights law committed by all parties have tragically become the norm in the Syrian conflict".

"Opposition forces should not think they are immune from prosecution. They must adhere to their responsibilities under international law," Pillay admonished.

The Commission of Inquiry on Syria, established by the UNHRC two years ago with a mandate to investigate and record all the human rights violations in the Syrian conflict, has previously highlighted the patterns of summary execution and murder, committed by anti-Government armed groups as well as Government forces and affiliated militias.

According to the OHCHR, more than 100,000 have been killed since the civil war erupted in Syria, with almost two million seeking refuge in neighbouring countries and another four million defined as internally displaced persons (IDP).