USA/SYRIA: Amnesty calls for an end to violence after releasing images of bombing in Syria.

Record ID: 281332

  • Title: USA/SYRIA: Amnesty calls for an end to violence after releasing images of bombing in Syria.
  • Date: 8th August 2012
  • Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (AUGUST 8, 2012) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) SANJEEV BERY, ADVOCACY DIRECTOR FOR MIDDLE EAST AND NORTHERN AFRICA, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA, SAYING: "The international community at the U.N. Security Council level needs to stop dithering and needs to start taking action. That means that Russia and China need to stop being obstacles to gl
  • Embargoed: 23rd August 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Syrian Arab Republic, Usa
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA3OWEXGZ58J7FAMYBOISIQWKHT
  • Story Text: Sanjeev Bery of Amnesty International USA says the U.N. Security Council needs to "stop dithering" and take action in Syria.
    Amnesty International called for an end to violence in Syria after releasing satellite images showing the extent of artillery bombardment in the Syrian city of Aleppo where rebels are struggling to fight off an offensive by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.

    "Amnesty International has released new satellite imagery with regards to Aleppo which shows hundreds of craters where artillery and mortars may have been used in all likelihood by the Syrian government's armed forces," Sanjeev Bery, Advocacy Director for the Middle East and Northern Africa, Amnesty International USA, said.

    "This suggests that there are widespread attacks happening within the community of Aleppo and surrounding areas and Amnesty International USA is calling on both the opposition forces and the Syrian government to respect the rights of civilians and to cease any attacks that may endanger civilian lives," he added during an interview with Reuters TV.
    The international human rights group said on Wednesday (August 8) both sides fighting in Syria's most populous city might be held criminally accountable for their failure to protect civilians.

    "The bulk of the violence that has been committed has been committed by the armed forces of the Syrian government but there are in fact rising allegations and reports of torture, abductions and killings of people held prisoner by the opposition forces as well," Bery said.

    "Amnesty International is sending a strong message to all parties in the conflict that all violations of human rights law will be documented, taken seriously and that we will be pushing for criminal investigations," he said.
    It said the images, obtained from commercial satellites over July 23- to August 1 period, showed more than 600 craters, probably from artillery shelling, dotting Aleppo's surrounding areas. The craters were represented with yellow dots in the images.
    One snapshot, from July 31, showed craters next to what looked like a residential housing complex in the nearby town of Anadan, it said.
    Amnesty said the other photos showed a giant queue of cars and trucks waiting at a gas station as supplies become depleted in the city and a truck on fire in a roadblock probably manned by civilians, as well as a general overview of the city showing hotspots of military presence and checkpoints.
    Amnesty implored the U.N. Security Council to "stop dithering" and take action.

    "That means that Russia and China need to stop being obstacles to global action and that means that the global community needs to have the international criminal court do an international investigation," Bery said.
    Assad has been reinforcing troops in preparation for an assault to recapture rebel-held districts of Aleppo after repelling fighters from most of the capital Damascus.
    On Wednesday, rebels abandoned some of their positions and explosions could be heard in the area as helicopters flew over frontline areas, a Reuters reporter there said.
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