A/HRC/22/59 Shabbiha was consistently noted by interviewees, who described them as closely cooperating with Government forces. 5. Individuals attempting to flee were shot in the fields on the outskirts of Tremseh, although the commission could not determine whether they were civilians or fighters. 6. UNSMIS observers attempting to reach Tremseh on 12 July were stopped outside the town by Government forces. When UNSMIS reached the village on 13 July, they reported that civilian objects, including over 50 homes and a school, were affected. They also observed and documented pools of blood and brain matter in a number of instances. 7. Collected accounts relayed how Government forces conducted house-to-house searches seeking ‘terrorists’ by looking for men and their ID cards. Interviewees alleged that after their identification, numerous men were executed. UNSMIS interviewed 27 villagers who gave highly consistent accounts of extra-judicial executions of men arrested by Government forces. 8. One interviewee describes how the youth of Tremseh attempted to defend the village against Government forces, although whether any armed clashes occurred could not be determined. The raid led to the arrest of around 100 people and the killing of dozens. Among those arrested were four persons, including a medical doctor, who were subsequently featured on Syrian state television as ‘terrorists.’ Their fate and whereabouts remain unknown. Government forces set a number of houses on fire, claiming they belonged to ‘terrorists.’ 9. Following the raid by Government forces, the Shabbiha, armed with guns, knives and machetes entered Tremseh from its western periphery. The Shabbiha looted shops and commercial buildings and caused extensive damage to residential property. Hostilities continued throughout the day until Government forces regained control of the town. Government forces and the Shabbiha withdrew around 20:00. After Government forces left, survivors emerged from hiding. Interviewees relayed eyewitness accounts of how they found tens of bodies in the streets and tens of houses and shops set on fire. 10. First-hand information was received indicating that indiscriminate shelling, shooting and setting fire on buildings and shops resulted in full destruction of tens of the houses and shops in Tremseh. At least six houses were completely destroyed, 13 burnt down, and four shops looted and set on fire. Additionally, there was reliable information that three schools were looted, destroyed and at least one of them set on fire. 11. Interviewees stated that more than a hundred bodies were collected in Tremseh’s mosque following the attack. The commission documented and corroborated 46 victims of the attack by name. Casualties included 39 persons killed, three of whom are believed to be under 18 years old and one 60 year old man; seven burnt bodies, including four persons under 18. A father stated that, among the burnt bodies, he identified his seven year old son by his unique front teeth. Another young man was identified by a steel belt he was wearing. The whereabouts of at least 15 people remain unknown. 12. It has not yet been possible to ascertain if all those killed, arrested and detained were connected with armed groups. However, the high number of children killed indicates that civilians had been inadequately protected, or deliberately targeted. 13. Other uncorroborated reports blamed anti-Government armed groups for the civilian deaths in this incident. Video material purportedly from Tremseh was broadcast on Russian television and showed two FSA members captured by the army confessing to having killed civilians in the town. It was not possible to assess whether these confessions were obtained voluntarily. 46 GE.13-10627