A/HRC/24/46 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 16 August 2013 Original: English Human Rights Council Twenty-fourth session Agenda item 4 Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention Report of the independent international commission of inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic * Summary The Syrian Arab Republic is a battlefield. Its cities and towns suffer relentless shelling and sieges. Massacres are perpetrated with impunity. An untold number of Syrians have disappeared. The present report covers investigations conducted from 15 May to 15 July 2013. Its findings are based on 258 interviews and other collected evidence. Government and pro-government forces have continued to conduct widespread attacks on the civilian population, committing murder, torture, rape and enforced disappearance as crimes against humanity. They have laid siege to neighbourhoods and subjected them to indiscriminate shelling. Government forces have committed gross violations of human rights and the war crimes of torture, hostage-taking, murder, execution without due process, rape, attacking protected objects and pillage. Anti-government armed groups have committed war crimes, including murder, execution without due process, torture, hostage-taking and attacking protected objects. They have besieged and indiscriminately shelled civilian neighbourhoods. Anti-government and Kurdish armed groups have recruited and used child soldiers in hostilities. The perpetrators of these violations and crimes , on all sides, act in defiance of international law. They do not fear accountability. Referral to justice is imperative. There is no military solution to this conflict. Those who supply arms create but an illusion of victory. A political solution founded upon tenets of the Geneva communiqué is the only path to peace. * T he annexes to the present report are circulated as received, in the language of submission only. GE.13-16410