Video Shows Syrian Rebels Execute Soldiers, HR: Shocking War Crime

Local Editor

A grisly video footage circulated on the web showing foreign-backed insurgents killing Syrian soldiers 'execution-style' at a checkpoint in the crisis-hit country.
The video was posted on the video-sharing website YouTube and is believed to be the tip of the iceberg of the killing of 28 Syrian soldiers at three checkpoints in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib on Thursday, AFP reported.
In the footage, which was reportedly filmed at Hamisho checkpoint west of the northwestern city of Saraqeb, the insurgents beat about 10 soldiers before executing them with automatic rifles.

A rebel is heard telling a prisoner: "Do you not know that we belong to the people of this country?"
The soldier replies: "I swear in the name of God I did not fire."

Meanwhile, the United Nations human rights office said on Friday that "this video must be verified but appears to constitute a war crime that should be prosecuted."
"Like other videos of this sort, it's difficult to verify immediately in terms of location, who's involved. We need to examine this carefully. It will be examined carefully," UN human rights spokesman Rupert Colville told a news briefing.
He further stressed "The allegations are that these were soldiers who were no longer combatants. And therefore, at this point it looks very likely that this is a war crime, another one."

Similarly, Amnesty International issued a statement saying the "shocking footage depicts a potential war crime in progress."


Source: News Agencies, Edited by moqawama.org