Syria warcrimes deepen in battle for territory - UN report

GENEVA, Sept 11 | Wed Sep 11, 2013 4:03am EDT

GENEVA, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Syrian government forces have massacred civilians, bombed hospitals and committed other war crimes in widespread attacks to recapture territory in recent months, U.N. human rights investigators said on Wednesday.

Opposition forces, including Islamist foreign fighters, have committed war crimes including executions, hostage-taking and shelling civilian neighbourhoods, they said in their latest report, covering the period of May 15-July 15.

"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, " said the U.N. commission of inquiry led by Brazilian Paulo Pinheiro. (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay, editing by Tom Miles)

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