(Vatican Radio) Investigators from the United Nations said on Wednesday that all sides
in Syria's civil war are using shelling and siege tactics to punish and starve civilians
and the international community shares responsibility for allowing such war crimes
to persist. The independent investigators also called again on the U.N. Security
Council to refer grave violations of the rules of war to the International Criminal
Court for prosecution.
The Chair of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria,
Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, said the leadership of each party to the conflict must be held
responsible for the violations of its members.
"Among the most devastating
events we documented was the campaign of barrel bombing in Aleppo targeting entire
areas and spreading terror among civilians,” he said. “There is an increase in child
recruitment among several non-state armed groups. Children are not only involved in
the armed conflict, but they have been targeted by snipers.”
Pinheiro said
Syrians feel abandoned and hopeless.
“While we most welcome the start of peace
talks in Geneva, we have consistently repeated the mantra that there is no military
solution for this crisis, only an inclusive negotiated solution can end this conflict,”
he said.
“States that exert influence on parties in Syria must act to ensure
that these parties comply with the rules of international humanitarian law,” Pinheiro
continued. “The Security Council bears responsibility for not addressing accountability
and allowing the warring parties to violate these rules with total impunity."