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GENEVA / SYRIA ISIL KILLINGS
STORY: GENEVA / SYRIA ISIL KILLINGS
TRT: 1:58
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTION: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 31 JULY 2018, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
RECENT – GENEVA, SWIZERLAND
1. Exterior, United Nations Headquarters
31 JULY 2018, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
2. Wide shot, briefing room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“We strongly condemn the shocking attacks by ISIL in civilian-populated areas in Sweida in southwest Syria last Wednesday. We have received reports that more than 200 people were killed and injured in multiple attacks, including suicide bombings in Sweida city and in various villages in eastern and north-eastern rural Sweida Governorate.”
4. Med shot, journalists
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“While agreements putting an end to fighting are to be welcomed, the well-being of civilians must be paramount in any considerations. The transfer of armed fighters with a history of gross human rights abuses and contempt towards international law can mean an increase in the likelihood of violent attacks against civilians like the ones carried out last week in Sweida. We urge the Syrian Government not to put civilians at serious risk through such relocations.”
6. Various shots, journalists
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“We are also concerned that the situation in Sweida may worsen, particularly if the local communities do not trust the Government to protect them or defend their rights. We call on the Government of Syria to take all necessary measures, in line with international human rights and humanitarian law, to protect civilians from attacks.”
8. Med shot, journalists
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“The Government of Syria has a duty to take action to prevent violent acts that may endanger the lives and well-being of civilians – including by not placing armed groups such as ISIL in their proximity. The Government also has the duty to ensure that those who commit crimes, human rights violations or abuses are held accountable according to law and in compliance with the applicable international human rights standards.”
10. Wide shot, briefing room
The United Nations human rights office “strongly" condemned the attacks by ISIL in civilian-populated areas in Sweida in southwest Syria last Wednesday (25 Jul).
Speaking to reporters in Geneva today (31 Jul), the spokesperson of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Ravina Shamdasani said that her office has received reports that “more than 200 people were killed and injured in multiple attacks, including suicide bombings in Sweida city and in various villages in eastern and north-eastern rural Sweida Governorate.”
According to OHCHR, scores of ISIL militants also raided homes in at least eight villages in eastern and north-eastern rural Sweida, shooting and killing civilians inside their homes and abducting women and children.
The office also has received the names of at least 27 women and children who were reportedly taken hostage from Al-Shbiki village in eastern rural Sweida, although the real number is likely to be much higher.
OHCHR noted that according to eyewitnesses, ISIL fighters initially took women from a handful of houses from Al-Shbiki village and used them to knock on the doors of their neighbours, then killing and abducting more civilians in their homes. Photos of some of these abducted women were later tweeted, with threats to burn them alive if the Government did not cease military operations against ISIL in western Daraa Governorate and release ISIL women and men in government custody.
According to OHCHR, these ISIL militants included many who were recently evacuated and relocated from the Palestinian Yarmouk Refugee Camp, Hajar Al-Aswad, and Al-Tadamon areas of southern Damascus as part of a government “reconciliation agreement”. The Government has reportedly used such agreements in areas it is close to capturing, in order to give armed groups the option of either reconciling with the Government or being transferred to other parts of the country that are not government controlled.
Shamdasani added “while agreements putting an end to fighting are to be welcomed, the well-being of civilians must be paramount in any considerations. The transfer of armed fighters with a history of gross human rights abuses and contempt towards international law can mean an increase in the likelihood of violent attacks against civilians like the ones carried out last week in Sweida. We urge the Syrian Government not to put civilians at serious risk through such relocations.”
The spokesperson also expressed concern that the situation in Sweida “may worsen,” adding “particularly if the local communities do not trust the Government to protect them or defend their rights.”
Shamdasani said “we call on the Government of Syria to take all necessary measures, in line with international human rights and humanitarian law, to protect civilians from attacks.”
She added “the Government of Syria has a duty to take action to prevent violent acts that may endanger the lives and well-being of civilians – including by not placing armed groups such as ISIL in their proximity. The Government also has the duty to ensure that those who commit crimes, human rights violations or abuses are held accountable according to law and in compliance with the applicable international human rights standards.”
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