GENEVA – Major Powers backing warring sides in Syria appear to have become “accomplices” in the bloodshed, the UN rights chief said Friday, blasting as “shameful” the failure to pursue justice for victims in the war-ravaged country.
Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said in a statement that renewed violence in Syria, including strikes on markets and medical facilities, showed a “monstrous disregard for civilians lives by all parties to the conflict”.
But he directed especially tough criticism towards the powerful countries influencing the conflict.
“The persistent failure of the Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC) is an example of the most shameful form of realpolitik,” Zeid said.
“In the minds of many, the world’s great powers have in effect become accomplices to the sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of human beings, and the displacement of millions.”
The comments appeared to be reference to both the United States and Russia, a key supporter of Bashar al-Assad.
Assuming Damascus does not directly ask the ICC to intervene; referring the conflict to the Hague-based court would require approval of the Security Council’s permanent members, including Russia and China which until now have blocked any such referral.
The rights chief joined a list of world leaders who have expressed grave concern over the rapid deterioration of a ceasefire declared on February 27.
Through March, the fragile truce led to a significant decline in violence and increased access for humanitarian workers.
But fighting has surged over the last two weeks, putting added strain on UN-mediated peace talks in Geneva.
Syrians evacuate an injured man following an air strike on a rebel-held neighbourhood in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on April 29, 2016.
The main opposition High Negotiations Committee suspended its participation in the talks last week to protest at renewed government offensives.
“The violence is soaring back to the levels we saw prior to the cessation of hostilities,” Zeid said, warning that all signs pointed to “a lethal escalation” in the conflict.
More than 200 civilians have been killed in Aleppo over the past week.
Fighting has also surged around Damascus, Homs and other areas.
Air strikes on rebel-held areas of Aleppo and shelling of government-held areas of the city resumed on Friday after a brief dawn lull.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group, said air strikes and government shelling had killed at least 131 civilians including 21 children in rebel areas in the past week.
At least six people died and more were injured and trapped under fallen buildings in air strikes on Friday on rebel-held areas, the Observatory said.
Bebars Mishal, a civil defense chief working in rebel-held areas of Aleppo, told Reuters there were a number of air attacks in the morning, many of them around mosques in rebel-held areas. Mishal said one hit a clinic in Aleppo’s Al-Marja district.
The war in Syria has killed more than 250,000 people, with the U.N. envoy giving a toll as high as 400,000.
Air strikes on rebel-held areas of Aleppo and shelling of government-held areas of the city resumed on Friday after a brief dawn lull.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group, said air strikes and government shelling had killed at least 131 civilians including 21 children in rebel areas in the past week.
At least six people died and more were injured and trapped under fallen buildings in air strikes on Friday on rebel-held areas, the Observatory said.
Source: AFP, REUTERS, 29 APRIL 2016