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War in Syria Is Becoming Sectarian, U.N. Panel Says War in Syria Is Becoming Sectarian, U.N. Panel Says
(about 3 hours later)
GENEVA — Syria’s civil war has evolved from a battle over political change into a conflict that is “overtly sectarian,” pulling fighters from across the Middle East and North Africa into the fray, United Nations investigators said on Thursday.GENEVA — Syria’s civil war has evolved from a battle over political change into a conflict that is “overtly sectarian,” pulling fighters from across the Middle East and North Africa into the fray, United Nations investigators said on Thursday.
The risk of political confrontation erupting into ethnic and religious strife had always been present but “as battles between government forces and anti-government armed groups approach the end of their second year, the conflict has become overtly sectarian in nature,” the U.N.-appointed panel led by Brazilian Paulo Pinheiro said. The risk of political confrontation erupting into ethnic and religious strife had always been present but “as battles between government forces and anti-government armed groups approach the end of their second year, the conflict has become overtly sectarian in nature,” said the investigators, who are members of a panel appointed by the United Nations and led by Paulo Pinheiro of Brazil.
In an interim report to the United Nations Human Rights Council on developments over the last two months, the investigators said attacks and reprisals had led communities to arm themselves and to be armed by different parties to the conflict. “Entire communities are at risk of being forced out of the country or killed inside the country,” it said. In an interim report to the United Nations Human Rights Council on developments over the last two months, the investigators said attacks and reprisals had led communities to arm themselves and to be armed by different parties to the conflict. “Entire communities are at risk of being forced out of the country or killed inside the country,” they said.
“Feeling threatened and under attack, ethnic and religious minority groups have increasingly aligned themselves with parties to the conflict, deepening sectarian divides,” the panel said.“Feeling threatened and under attack, ethnic and religious minority groups have increasingly aligned themselves with parties to the conflict, deepening sectarian divides,” the panel said.
The sharpest split is between the Alawite sect, a Shiite Muslim minority from which President Bashar al-Assad’s most senior political and military associates are drawn, and the country’s Sunni Muslim majority, mostly aligned with the opposition, the panel noted, but it said the conflict had drawn in other minorities including Armenians, Christians, Druze, Palestinians, Kurds and Turkmen. The sharpest split is between the Alawite sect, a Shiite Muslim minority from which President Bashar al-Assad’s most senior political and military associates are drawn, and the country’s Sunni Muslim majority, mostly aligned with the opposition, the panel noted. Bbut it said the conflict had drawn in other minorities, including Armenians, Christians, Druze, Palestinians, Kurds and Turkmen.
Most foreign fighters joining the conflict were Sunni Muslims from neighboring Middle Eastern and North African countries, many of them linked to extremist groups, the panel said, and often operating independently of the opposition Free Syrian Army but coordinating attacks with its forces. Most foreign fighters joining the conflict are Sunni Muslims from neighboring Middle Eastern and North African countries, many of them linked to extremist groups, the panel said, and often operating independently of the opposition Free Syrian Army but coordinating attacks with its forces.
Lebanon’s Shiite group Hezbollah had confirmed its members were fighting for the Assad government, the panel said, and it was investigating reports that Iraqi Shiites had also entered Syria. Iran had also confirmed that members of its Revolutionary Guards Corps are providing the Assad regime with “intellectual and advisory support.” Lebanon’s Shiite group Hezbollah confirmed that its members were fighting for the Assad government, the panel said, and it was investigating reports that Iraqi Shiites had also entered Syria. Iran has also confirmed that members of its Revolutionary Guards Corps are providing the Assad regime with “intellectual and advisory support.”
Making their fourth submission to the Human Rights Council, the panel of four investigators said government forces and supporting militias had attacked Sunni civilians and opposition forces had attacked Alawite and other pro-government communities. It said Kurdish groups had clashed with both government and anti-government forces, Turkmen militias were fighting with anti-government forces, and Palestinians, increasingly split in their view of the Assad government, were being armed by both pro- and anti-government forces. Making their fourth submission to the Human Rights Council, the panel of four investigators said government forces and supporting militias had attacked Sunni civilians and opposition forces had attacked Alawite and other pro-government communities. It said Kurdish groups had clashed with both government and antigovernment forces, Turkmen militias were fighting with antigovernment forces, and Palestinians, increasingly split in their view of the Assad government, were being armed by both pro- and antigovernment forces.
Summing up developments over the past two months, the panel said opposition groups, helped by access to increased amounts of weaponry, had been able to challenge government control of sensitive infrastructure such as oil fields, major highways, airports and military camps. Government forces, focused on securing major cities, were reportedly engaging in fewer ground actions and resorting more to shelling and air attacks. Summing up developments over the past two months, the panel said opposition groups, helped by access to increased amounts of weaponry, had been able to challenge government control of sensitive infrastructure like oil fields, major highways, airports and military camps. Government forces, focused on securing major cities, are reportedly engaging in fewer ground actions and resorting more to shelling and air attacks.
The panel said it had received a significant increase in accounts of civilians directly targeted in aerial attacks and had heard of many incidents of civilians suffering multiple casualties from shelling by government forces which had targeted state hospitals as well as field hospitals in opposition-controlled areas. In addition, “consistent accounts of summary executions by anti-government forces continue to be collected,” the investigators said. The panel said it had received a significant increase in accounts of civilians directly targeted in aerial attacks and had heard of many incidents of civilians suffering multiple casualties from shelling by government forces that had targeted state hospitals as well as field hospitals in opposition-controlled areas. In addition, “consistent accounts of summary executions by antigovernment forces continue to be collected,” the investigators said.
“As the conflict drags on, the parties have become ever more violent and unpredictable, which has led to their conduct increasingly being in breach of international law,” the panel concluded.“As the conflict drags on, the parties have become ever more violent and unpredictable, which has led to their conduct increasingly being in breach of international law,” the panel concluded.