UN Investigators Warn of War Crimes in Syria's Alawite Communities

UN human rights investigators said on Thursday that war crimes may have been committed in predominantly Alawite areas of Syria in a wave of deadly violence earlier this year. The victims were largely Alawite civilians, including adult men, women, the elderly, and children, with approximately 1,400 people reported killed. The violence was part of a larger conflict that ended last December, and has left lasting damage to Syria's unity.

Key Takeaways:

• Over 1,400 civilians were killed in the violence, with the majority being adult men, but also including women, the elderly, and children.
• The victims were predominantly Alawite civilians, a minority community in Syria, which the former ruling Assad family belonged to.
• The violence was characterized by mass killings, torture, and mutilation of bodies, with some acts being filmed and published on social media.
• The Alawite community is still being targeted today, with ongoing abductions, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and looting and occupation of their property.
• The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria called for urgent action to protect the Alawite communities and hold perpetrators accountable.

Statistics:

• Approximately 1,400 civilians were reported killed in the violence, predominantly in Alawite areas of Syria.
• Over 100 women, the elderly, and children were among the victims.
• The violence resulted in mass killings, with bodies left in the streets for days and mass graves without proper documentation.
• Hospitals became overwhelmed, with corpses piling up.
• The commission's report is based on extensive investigations, including over 200 interviews with victims and witnesses.

Sources:

• UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria
• Paulo Pinheiro, Chair of the UN panel
• Lynn Welchman, Commissioner
• United Nations News (http://milnz.co.nz/mil-osi-aggregation/)