- More than 250 children were killed by security forces; Source: syriana2011 (Flickr)
The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, consisting of a Brazilian, a Turkish and an American, based its findings on interviews with 223 victims, witnesses and army defectors. The commission was not granted access to the country by the Syrian government.
On 39 pages, the UN commission describes deliberate targeting of unarmed demonstrators by snipers, torture and killings in the Homs military hospital, and extensive sexual violence in places of detention. The report resulted in further condemnations by the UK and by France’s foreign minister Alain Juppé who said Assad’s days were “numbered”. The shattering findings could prompt steps taken by the UN Security Council, but it is doubtful whether Russia and China would agree to refer the case to the International Criminal Court.
Guardian: Syria troops have killed more than 250 children, UN report finds
Washington Post: U.N. report documents Syria’s crimes against protesters
