UN Human Rights Commissioner condemns mass executions by “rebels” in Syria

According to a communiqué, received by the ITAR-TASS news agency, the Human Rights Commissioner points out that quite a few mass executions of civilians and the military who are no longer involved in combat operations by Syria’s radical opposition groups, including the “Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant”, have been reported from Aleppo, Idlib and Raqqa over the past two weeks.

“While exact numbers are difficult to verify, reliable eyewitness testimony that we have gathered suggests that many civilians and “rebels” in the custody of extremist armed opposition groups have been executed since the beginning of this year,” she said in a statement.

“Executions and unlawful killings are in violation of international human rights and humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes,” the statement said.

Pillay said the reported mass executions in the north of Syria can be construed as war crimes.

R.S