redred
05-14-2013, 02:14 PM
A video which appears to show a Syrian rebel taking a bite from the heart of a dead soldier has been widely condemned.
US-based Human Rights Watch identified the rebel as Abu Sakkar, a well-known insurgent from the city of Homs, and said his actions were a war crime.
The main Syrian opposition coalition said he would be put on trial.
The video, which cannot be independently authenticated, seems to show him cutting out the heart.
"I swear to God we will eat your hearts and your livers, you soldiers of Bashar the dog," the man says referring to President Bashar al-Assad as he stands over the soldier's corpse.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) says Abu Sakkar is the leader of a group called the Independent Omar al-Farouq Brigade.
"The mutilation of the bodies of enemies is a war crime. But the even more serious issue is the very rapid descent into sectarian rhetoric and violence," HRW's Peter Bouckaert told Reuters news agency.
HRW said those committing war crimes on either side had to know that there was no impunity and that they would be brought to account.
The human rights group said Abu Sakkar had been filmed before, firing rockets into Shia areas of Lebanon and posing with the bodies of guerrillas from the Lebanese Hezbollah movement killed fighting alongside Syrian government forces.
The video, posted on Sunday, is one of the most gruesome to emerge among the many thrown up by more than two years of carnage in Syria, says the BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut.
The UN says 70,000 people have been killed since the uprising against President Assad began in March 2011. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights puts the death toll at more than 80,000.
Many Syrians have fled the country to escape the fighting and more than a million are registered as refugees, according the UN.
Meanwhile, Jordan has said it will host a meeting next week for the Friends of Syria - a group of Western and Arab nations that want Mr Assad to relinquish power - to help prepare for a peace conference on Syria in June.
US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed last week to hold the conference, which they initially hoped to organise before the end of May.
The conference will try to persuade the Syrian government and opposition to accept a deal based on the core elements agreed by the UN-backed Action Group for Syria in June last year.
These included an immediate cessation of violence and the establishment of a transitional government that could include officials serving under President Assad and members of the opposition.
Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi said on Tuesday that Syria would need more information before deciding whether to attend such a conference, but would not be party to any meeting which harms "national sovereignty".
He said the future role of Mr Assad was an issue "only for the Syrian people and the ballot box".
Mr Kerry suggested the Syrian government would be at the table as it had already given a list of representatives to Russia.
"If he decides not to come to the table, it would be another one of President Assad's gross miscalculations," he said. "I don't believe that that is the case at this moment."
Mr Kerry said he had also spoken to Free Syrian Army leader General Salim Idriss, who had assured him he was committed to the negotiation process.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has argued that Mr Assad could still have a post-war role, said it was "especially important to avoid any moves that could aggravate the situation".
The conflict in Syria will be at the centre of talks in Russia between Mr Putin and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
Russia is concerned by Israeli air strikes on targets inside Syria, while Israel is unhappy at shipments of Russian weapons to Damascus.
Mr Netanyahu is expected to request that Russia stop supplying the Syrian military with advanced weapons systems. Recent deliveries have included air defence missiles and artillery systems.
Last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow was not violating any international sanctions and would honour already signed contracts, but avoided confirming reports that it was preparing to sell Damascus S-300 air defence batteries.
Earlier this month, the Syrian government accused Israel of bombing military facilities near Damascus. Israel declined to comment, but security sources said the air strikes had been aimed at preventing the transfer of Iranian-made missiles to Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Following the attacks, the Russian foreign ministry warned that the "further whipping-up of armed confrontation" sharply increased the risk of "pockets of tension" in Syria and Lebanon.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22519770
NSFW video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNw613EHLp4
US-based Human Rights Watch identified the rebel as Abu Sakkar, a well-known insurgent from the city of Homs, and said his actions were a war crime.
The main Syrian opposition coalition said he would be put on trial.
The video, which cannot be independently authenticated, seems to show him cutting out the heart.
"I swear to God we will eat your hearts and your livers, you soldiers of Bashar the dog," the man says referring to President Bashar al-Assad as he stands over the soldier's corpse.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) says Abu Sakkar is the leader of a group called the Independent Omar al-Farouq Brigade.
"The mutilation of the bodies of enemies is a war crime. But the even more serious issue is the very rapid descent into sectarian rhetoric and violence," HRW's Peter Bouckaert told Reuters news agency.
HRW said those committing war crimes on either side had to know that there was no impunity and that they would be brought to account.
The human rights group said Abu Sakkar had been filmed before, firing rockets into Shia areas of Lebanon and posing with the bodies of guerrillas from the Lebanese Hezbollah movement killed fighting alongside Syrian government forces.
The video, posted on Sunday, is one of the most gruesome to emerge among the many thrown up by more than two years of carnage in Syria, says the BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut.
The UN says 70,000 people have been killed since the uprising against President Assad began in March 2011. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights puts the death toll at more than 80,000.
Many Syrians have fled the country to escape the fighting and more than a million are registered as refugees, according the UN.
Meanwhile, Jordan has said it will host a meeting next week for the Friends of Syria - a group of Western and Arab nations that want Mr Assad to relinquish power - to help prepare for a peace conference on Syria in June.
US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed last week to hold the conference, which they initially hoped to organise before the end of May.
The conference will try to persuade the Syrian government and opposition to accept a deal based on the core elements agreed by the UN-backed Action Group for Syria in June last year.
These included an immediate cessation of violence and the establishment of a transitional government that could include officials serving under President Assad and members of the opposition.
Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi said on Tuesday that Syria would need more information before deciding whether to attend such a conference, but would not be party to any meeting which harms "national sovereignty".
He said the future role of Mr Assad was an issue "only for the Syrian people and the ballot box".
Mr Kerry suggested the Syrian government would be at the table as it had already given a list of representatives to Russia.
"If he decides not to come to the table, it would be another one of President Assad's gross miscalculations," he said. "I don't believe that that is the case at this moment."
Mr Kerry said he had also spoken to Free Syrian Army leader General Salim Idriss, who had assured him he was committed to the negotiation process.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has argued that Mr Assad could still have a post-war role, said it was "especially important to avoid any moves that could aggravate the situation".
The conflict in Syria will be at the centre of talks in Russia between Mr Putin and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
Russia is concerned by Israeli air strikes on targets inside Syria, while Israel is unhappy at shipments of Russian weapons to Damascus.
Mr Netanyahu is expected to request that Russia stop supplying the Syrian military with advanced weapons systems. Recent deliveries have included air defence missiles and artillery systems.
Last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow was not violating any international sanctions and would honour already signed contracts, but avoided confirming reports that it was preparing to sell Damascus S-300 air defence batteries.
Earlier this month, the Syrian government accused Israel of bombing military facilities near Damascus. Israel declined to comment, but security sources said the air strikes had been aimed at preventing the transfer of Iranian-made missiles to Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Following the attacks, the Russian foreign ministry warned that the "further whipping-up of armed confrontation" sharply increased the risk of "pockets of tension" in Syria and Lebanon.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22519770
NSFW video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNw613EHLp4