United Nations investigators say that human rights violations and abuse in Syria are sowing the seeds for further violence and radicalization, despite diplomatic efforts to stabilize the situation in the country, including through its re-admission to the League of Arab States.
The three-member Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria presented this bleak outlook Friday to the UN Human Rights Council.
Reacting to the commission assessment, a majority of the 42 countries in the meeting expressed deep concern about continuing alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes by the Syrian regime.
The UN estimates that more than 300,000 civilians have been killed since 2011 and over 12 million forced from their homes—6.8 million within Syria and 5.4 million as refugees in neighboring countries.
The commission said some refugees who have returned to Syria have been detained and ill treated by Syrian security forces or criminal gangs. It says some have been blackmailed for their release, others have been handed over to security services, and in some cases, people, including children, went missing.
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