Head of UN rights workplace urges accountability for killings in Syria’s Sweida

Syria’s authorities despatched troops this week to the predominantly Druze metropolis to quell preventing between Bedouins and Druze, however the violence grew till a ceasefire was declared.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) mentioned it had acquired credible experiences of widespread rights violations in the course of the preventing.

These included experiences of abstract executions, kidnappings and destruction of personal property by safety forces and people linked to Syria’s interim authorities, in addition to different armed components together with Druze and Bedouins.

“This bloodshed and the violence must stop, and the protection of all people must be the utmost priority, in line with international human rights law,” OHCHR High Commissioner Volker Turk mentioned in a press release.

At least 13 folks had been unlawfully killed in a single recorded incident on July 15 when associates of the interim authorities opened fireplace at a household gathering, the OHCHR mentioned. Six males had been summarily executed close to their houses the identical day.

“My Office has received accounts of distressed Syrians who are living in fear for their lives and those of their loved ones,” Mr. Turk mentioned.

Israel carried out airstrikes on Damascus on Wednesday and in addition hit authorities forces within the south, demanding they withdraw and saying it aimed to guard Syrian Druze – a part of a small however influential minority with followers in Lebanon and Israel.

Turk shared his concern following experiences of civilian casualties following Israeli airstrikes on Sweida, Daraa within the southwest, and on the centre of Damascus.