A member of the U.N.’s commission of inquiry on the Syria conflict says the International Criminal Court should be called in to probe war crimes in Syria.
Carla del Ponte said Monday the U.N. Security Council and the international community must make the decision whether to refer the commission’s findings to the ICC.
The commission says its latest report is based on interviews with over 400 victims and witnesses who have left Syria. The investigators are not allowed in Syria.
The commission says it has identified Syrian individuals, as well as government forces and armed rebels who may be responsible for war crimes.
The commission’s latest report criticizes both factions, but stresses the government regime is the major perpetrator.
The report says “government forces and affiliated militia committed the crimes against humanity of murder, torture, rape, enforced disappearance and other inhumane acts.”
The report also says “anti-government armed groups have committed war crimes, including murder, torture, hostage-taking and attacking protected objects.”
The commission is due next month to submit a confidential list of individuals and units allegedly involved in war crimes to the U.N.’s human rights office, but is not planning to make the list public.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
