A/HRC/22/59 protracted campaign of shelling and sniping on civilian areas have characterized the conduct of the Government. Syrian armed forces have implemented a strategy that uses shelling and sniper fire to kill, maim, wound and terrorize the civilian inhabitants of areas that have fallen under anti-Government armed group control. Shelling and sniper fire by Government forces have killed and wounded civilians of both sexes and all ages, including children and the elderly. The attacks amount to war crimes and appear to constitute a campaign against civilians in anti-Government armed group-controlled areas, which may amount to crimes against humanity. 2. Anti-Government armed groups 130. Anti-Government armed groups claimed responsibility for five bombings in Aleppo and Damascus documented during the reporting period. The use of improvised explosive devices, suicide bombers and car bombs has spread throughout the Syrian Arab Republic. 131. There is reason to believe that anti-Government armed groups regularly use civilian objects such as schools for bases, accommodation or meeting points, exposing civilians to the dangers of war. 132. Aleppo has been divided between Government forces and anti-Government armed groups, with both parties positioning snipers on top of buildings and at the entry to main roads to control the movement of people. Snipers regularly fired at civilians. In the incidents examined, it is evident that the conduct of those injured ought to have led to the presumption of their civilian status. 133. By operating from within civilian objects, anti-Government armed groups endanger the civilian population and violate their obligation under international humanitarian law to avoid positioning military objectives within or near densely populated areas, to the extent feasible. The use of snipers to control the movement of people and assert control over areas has caused considerable civilian casualties as snipers fail to distinguish between civilians and those participating in hostilities. The targeting of individuals from concealed positions in urban areas imbues the civilian population with terror. Staging attacks with improvised explosive devices in predominantly civilian areas spreads terror among the civilian population and is in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, amounting to the war crime of attacking civilians. Investigations relating to the conduct of hostilities by antiGovernment armed groups are ongoing. 3. Other perpetrators 134. There has been an increase in attacks in which no parties claim responsibility and which do not appear to have any military or strategic objective, beyond the primary purpose of spreading terror among the civilian population. Of particular concern are attacks that may foment sectarian tensions. Such attacks are not motivated by any military or strategic gain, but rather by a general disregard for human life. It has become increasingly evident that the proliferation of foreign fighters and extremist groups has altered the character of the conflict. More than ten incidents were documented in which improvised explosive devices, whether body- or vehicle-borne, were set off in minority neighbourhoods or in the vicinity of religious sites. 135. Owing to the proliferation of armed factions in the Syrian conflict, there has been an increase in acts of unrestrained violence, which are clearly intended to spread terror among the civilian population. The perpetrators of such acts cannot always be determined. Such conduct is in violation of the rules and customs of international humanitarian law and may heighten sectarian tensions. This trend risks becoming a malignant feature of the conflict. 136. While these may be crimes in domestic law, they may also amount to war crimes where the perpetrators are parties to the conflict. 20 GE.13-10627