A/HRC/25/65
was posted on the Internet. In September, ISIS attacked the Northern Storm Brigade
headquarters and prison in Jebel Barsaya, executing one prisoner.
26.
Alawite farmers in Al-Ghab Valley (Hama) are routinely abducted and killed by
armed groups operating from surrounding Sunni villages. Since May 2013, several farmers
have been shot while cultivating their fields.
27.
Non-State armed groups executed captured soldiers. After armed group fighters took
control of a government military checkpoint located 2 kilometres from Maaloula
(Damascus countryside) on 4 September, they captured and executed soldiers stationed
there. On 7 September, fighters raided a house on Mar Sarkis Street. Fighters separated the
women and elderly, then took three men outside and shot them.
28.
Since July, Jabhat Al-Nusra, at times in coordination with other armed groups,
carried out a series of killings of Kurdish civilians in Al Youssoufiyah, Qamishli and AlAsadia (Al-Hasakah). During a raid by ISIS, Jabhat Al-Nusra, the Islamic Front and FSA
battalions, fighters killed a Kurdish Yazidi man in Al-Asadia who refused to convert to
Islam.
2.
Killings amounting to the war crime of execution without due process
29.
Certain armed groups, in establishing control over areas in north-eastern Syria,
conducted public extrajudicial executions in violation of fair trial guarantees, violating
common article 3 of the Geneva Conventions. In late August, the Northern Storm Brigade
executed an unidentified man in the public square of Azaz (Aleppo).
30.
The FSA-affiliated Gathering of Ahrar Nawa Battalions entered Nawa (Dara’a) in
mid-September and captured three government soldiers. They were interrogated to
determine whether they had been involved in “bloodshed”, then summarily executed.
31.
During an attack on a government checkpoint in Jisr Al Shughur (Idlib) on 7
October, the FSA Al Sai’qa Brigade captured one soldier. The fighters sought advice on
sharia law. Their contact instructed them to execute the soldier, stating that “those that
surrender after being captured will be killed”.
32.
In October, Ahrar Al-Sham captured an alleged car bomber in Binnish (Idlib). The
man was interrogated and beaten to extort a confession, then summarily executed following
a trial conducted by “defector judges”.
33.
Jabhat Al-Nusra and ISIS carried out public executions in Tal Abyad (Ar Raqqah) in
September. Armed groups conducted public executions to assert their presence after taking
control of an area and to instil fear among the population.
B.
Arbitrary arrest and unlawful detention
1.
Government forces and pro-government militia
34.
Government forces conducted arbitrary arrests during or immediately following
ground operations. From July to September 2013, government forces conducted a campaign
of arrests throughout Homs in Al-Qaryatayn, Houlah, Karm Al-Zeytun and Dewayer, as
well as in Sinjar (Idlib) in July, Al-Jalmeh (Hama) in November, and Beit Jin (Damascus
countryside) and Kafr Shams (Dara’a) in September. Men and adolescent boys were
targeted, although children, women and elderly persons were also detained.
35.
Families of suspected members of armed groups, including deceased fighters, were
detained with the purpose of obtaining information or as retribution. This has instilled fear
among entire communities. Consequently, families from Muadamiyah (Damascus
countryside) no longer publish death notices.
8
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