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Subscribe to RSSActivists say that more than 1,000 children have been killed since the uprising in Syria began last year.
Children were slaughtered, tortured, sexually attacked and used as human shields by pro-government Syrian forces, according to a damning United Nations report released late on Monday.
"Children were victims of killing and maiming, arbitrary arrest, detention, torture and ill-treatment, including sexual violence, by the Syrian Armed Forces, the intelligence forces, and the Shabbiha militia," the U.N.'s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Radhika Coomaraswamy said in a release issued along with the report.
Shaam News Network / AFP - Getty Images
Residents of Houla ride in the back of a pick-up truck on June 5, according to Syrian opposition's Shaam News Network. In May, a massacre in Houla claimed 108 lives including those of 49 children, according to UN figures.
The shabiha are a pro-government militia that recruits largely from the Alawite community- the same Muslim sect as President Bashar Assad. Sunnis, who make up the majority of the rebels, are an estimated 74 percent of the population.
NYT: Assad's response to Syria unrest leaves his own sect divided
In an interview with the BBC, Coomaraswamy said she had learned of "horrific" reports in Syria. She told the BBC:
"We are really quite shocked. Killing and maiming of children in cross-fire is something we come across in many conflicts but this torture of children in detention, children as young as 10, is something quite extraordinary, which we don't really see in other places."
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"We also had testimonies and saw children who had been tortured, and who carried the torture marks with them. We also heard of children being used -- this was recounted to us by some children -- of being put on tanks and being used as human shields so that the tanks would not be fired upon."
Coomaraswamy also criticized the rebellion's main armed group for its treatment of children.
'Battle is in Damascus' as Syrian tanks fire in 12-hour exchange
A civil war is breaking out in Syria between the Sunnis and Shiites with militia groups fighting along sectarian lines. Sources report regular gun battles close to the presidential palace where the Syrian regime is experiencing problems controlling its own armed forces. NBC's Richard Engel reports.
"For the first time we heard of children being recruited by the Free Syrian Army mainly in medical and service orientated jobs but still on the front line," she told the BBC.
The U.N. says Syrian forces have killed more than 10,000 people in the crackdown on an uprising inspired by revolts which toppled four Arab leaders in 2011. Syrian authorities say foreign-backed militants have killed 2,600 soldiers and police.
Activists say Syria's army and pro-Assad militia have committed two massacres in the last two weeks, in the Houla region and a farming hamlet called Mazraat al-Qubeir. Syrian authorities blamed the killings on "terrorists."
Report: Journalist says rebels tried to get him killed
The United States and other Western nations who have been critical of Assad's regime had little new to suggest to end Syria's 15-month long crisis, which has seen the United Nations Security Council deadlocked amid continued support for Assad by veto-holding Russia and China.
The use of civilians as human shields has been reported before. On March 25, Human Rights Watch released a video purportedly showing how Syrians were forced to walk in front of armored personnel carriers:
The international rights organization also quoted a resident of Kafr Nabl as saying:
"They took maybe 25 people, including me. There were also eight children, aged from 10 to 15, among us. They made us march in front and around the military vehicles to some houses where they were searching for wanted opposition activists. We marched for about 600 meters. They were insulting us the whole time. They arrested several people from the houses. Then they made us march back to their base, after which they released all of us, apart from the detained activists. The whole operation lasted for about two hours."
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Follow us on Twitter: @msnbc_world
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Just saw children hurt on national tv. in syria. I pray that this stops!!
MileHigh -
Of course we are being lied to - daily - by our government, by our press, by the UN, BY YOU. If you think you have all the "truth" because you have been to one internet site, God help you.
Religion seems to be based in hate. Muslims hate us, Christians hate them, the Sunni's hate the Shiite's, the fundamentalist's hate the Catholics, on and on, and everybody thinks their right. They all work hand in hand with Satan thinking they all have Gods blessing. Isn't religion a wonderful thing. If we brainwash our childern early enough, we can keep this insanity up until the sun shines no more.
deiphobia alert!!!!
Yes mpa-4893349 there's so many Gods I might pick the wrong one.
We must be Wise enough to not allow the removal of God, in our daily lives and Our Country.... We must Not Allow the "God's of Money", to control every aspect, and continue efforts for the removal of God, from Our daily lives, and Country. The "Founders" of this great nation, involved God throughout Our Constitution in many ways, and through their infinite wisdom,understood the concept of "Separation of Church and State"and did not favor one particular Religion.... Many people truly believe, Our Nation was founded upon Christianity. I beg to differ, it was founded upon the concept of one True GOD....... and We must not allow the removal of God. A" God-less", Kleptocratic-Oligarchy type Nation, would not be a pleasant Society, to say the least.......... and most certainly, not the Nation the True American Patriots, The Founders, and "Our Forefathers" intended it to be... Ciao
I have been a big believer in letting the middle east cleanup its own mess and I guess the middle east is going to treat syria like a wildfire and see if it burns itself out, I do not know too much about the middle east but to kill your own people women and children is uncalled for we need to get involved and exterminate the people incharge of ordering and carring out these brutal attacks.
Yes, gmano528, but do it in the name of humanity, but don't use the word exterminate, put them on trial and give them the punishment they deserve.
Why should America get involved? This is how these tribal cultures have existed for thousands of years. One group dominates another for a brief period, tribal warfare, civil warfare followed by ethnic cleansing, repeat every 20 or 30 years.
"I believe Banking Institutions to be more dangerous to Our Liberties, than Standing Armies" Thomas Jefferson... very wise little Fellow, that Jefferson... Ciao
hey i have a question. is not providing health care for the millions of unemployed a form of abuse? all this natter and chests stuck out.... totally partisen government, and all that .... should we be looking inward a little and taking some examples of all this ranting a little more personal for our own behaviour, maybe, apply some economic parallels here.
As opposed to panty shields? Plastic shields? Wind shields?
Is it really necessary to point out that children used as shields are human?
Hey gmano528 You might surprised that some of the people involved are some of our politicians , They are doing that on the request of the Saudis and Qataris and Israel and off course with little money involved everything is possible . Today on the Lebanese borders , The rebels kidnapped Syrians civilians , and when the Syrian army came to rescue them , The rebels using these innocent civilians as human shields , so the Army won't attack them , and so far ITS working , So you see Its the Same story when Israel Attacked Gaza , They Israelis were saying the Palestinians were using their own children's as Human Shields . How come they every time we are involved or the Israeli behind something , It is always the same story . Assad decided after all these years in power and the backing of most of his people ( I bet he has more percentage of people backing him in Syria , Than Pres. Obama has in the US ) ANYWAY , BACK TO MY STORY , ASSAD GOT UP ONE MORNING AND HE SAID TO HIMSELF , ITS TIME FOR ME TO START KILLING MY OWN PEOPLE , THE ONES WITH ME , AND THE ONES AGAINST ME . SO here we are , FOX NEWS ( FAIR AND BALANCED ) CNN AND ALL THE WESTERN NEWS AND THE GULF STATES ,( THE VOICE OF ALQAEDA SUPPORTERS ) THEY ALL DECIDED TO GET TOGETHER AND START REPORTING ONE SIDE OF THE CONFLICT , YOU KNOW EVEN THE VIETNAM WAR , OUR MEDIA WERE FAIR TO BOTH SIDES . THEY TOLD ABOUT OUR SOLDIERS IF THEY DID ANY WRONG , BUT NOT HERE , THESE ALQAEDA THUGS , EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE ARMED TO THE TEETH AND THEY ALL BIN LADIN LOOK ALIKE , WOW THEY ALL SO DECENT AND THEY ARE FIGHTING BY THE BOOK .
I'm surprised the UN hasn't blamed Israel and the Jews for this. I'm also surprised the liberal democrats haven't blamed Israel, the Jews, and the white, heterosexual males for this. According to them, they are responsible for everything bad in the world.
This has been going on in the Arab world for years, yet they have to blame outside agencies for their poor behavior, intolerance, and lack of human rights. America won't help because there is no oil in it. The same reason that America refuses to help Darfur.
No idiot. The liberal democrats supply Israel with weapons. Here is the best way to fight the Islamists using braindead right wing radical cracked teanuts who will be no loss to anyone. Draft dodging clues lyin Willardo, the Mexican Mormon Moron tax evader, bankrupter and Etch A Sketch Champion won't fight. He will probably run home to his birthpalce in Tijuana if called on.
Here is how Sister Sarah, the great American Zero, can help us invade Syria and attack the Syrian Government. She can be part of the invasion force.
We have to attack the radical Islamists before it is too late, without putting our soldiers in harms way.
The best way is to send the right wing radical cracked teanuts over there to fight. First let Sister Sara attack from the front in her helicopter gunship where she is experienced in shooting wolves from the air with her blazing AK47, turns them into instant wolfburgers. Then get the other dunce, the flying witch from Delaware, Christine O Donnell. to attack their flanks using her rocket powered, heavily armed broomstick. Then the macho nut Rick Sanitarium can get his boss, the Pope's boys, the gay, rapist, pedophile catholic priests to attack from the rear. John (town cryer) Bonehead and Mitch McDumbell can direct operations. Groper Nutquist could be the sniper, as all he has to do is lift the lid from his trash can and fire away.
Harold Camping, the evangelical king, can assist by getting the 500,000 or so braindead evangelical Children of the Corn, that he brainwashed to give up all of their worldly possessions to go meet and stay with the man in the sky. These zombies would not care if they died because they would finally get to meet and stay with the man in the sky. Camping can supply them with bibles to throw at the Islamists with some of the millions he bilked these fools out of.
If they still need more help, we can recruit the right wing centrists: the abortion clinic bombers, federal building bombers, abortion doctor killers and the radical right wing southern anthrax spreaders. With this army of right wing nuts and Jesus Freaks, we save our real army for another day.
Ron (Puke) Paul can preach liberty to the Islamics and Muslims who he loves. Maybe lyin Willardo, the Mexican Mormon Moron tax evader can get some of his buddies that he grew up with in Tijuana to volunteer to help also.
Any prisoners that are taken can be sent to Nut Gingerheads 2 trillion dollar moon colony on an unihabitable planet. There is no atmosphere there, so no oxygen and only traces of water. It is hotter than boiling water there during the day and it goes down to 160 degrees below zero at night. In fact, it so nice there, that we should also send the 4 clowns that are running for the repuke nomination there also. Ron (Puke) Paul can preach liberty to the men in the moon, lyin Willardo can establish an off planet moon bank to hide his money, Nut Gingerhead can destroy the moon peoples housing market, and the Pope's boy, Sanitarium can try to find work for his base, the gay, rapist, pedophile catholic priests and braindead evangelical Children of the Corn.
If the right wing cracked teanuts want to beat Obama they need new candidates. Cain/Sandusky in 2012. These two are their best family values candidates. .Who cares what they did in the past, they are against abortion, that is all that counts to these nuts.
Kinda retarded aren't you ?
I seem to remember these very same "rebels" and "freedom fighters" that so many posters here want to support dancing in the streets, burning the American flag and chanting slogans like death to America not too long ago. These people are not our friends and should get no support from the "Great Satan", as they kindly refer to Americans. These terrorists can solve their own problems
You are right. It is a sad situation. As in Egypt, the radical muslims will eventually take over and start burning our flags every time we help Israel. The help should only come from their Islamic neighbors. It is their problem.
I would like to see the Arab countries blockade the shipment of the Russian helicopters. There is no way that Russia will start a fight with all of them. They will back off.
Sadly, we were warned many years ago, contained within Eisenhower's brilliant, farewell speech, of becoming the "Military Industrial Complex" Obviously, the "Powers that Be", and now along with the New World Order's Criminal-Scum Agenda, we have became that very Monster, that we were warned about,systematically, relying upon the "Military Industrial Complex" to control our very existence..... and our economy..... The Criminal Federal-Reserve, Mega Banker Scum, and the Criminal Corrupt Politicians, along with the New World Order. Is running, and ruining, Our Country. The time is soon at hand, the we must "Rise-Up" to defeat such blatant Tyranny... Ciao
We wont get involved. They are backed by countries we don't want to mess with.
wildvike.....i dont know about you but iam still willing an able to take up arms to save women and kids! thats the only humane thing too do. i dont understand what all this other crap people are talking about and care not too! there are children at harms way here and they need to be taken care of! now,if called to arms i am ready. i ask my fellow MARINES to voice your felling and ask to take up arms again,we do it with pride.
so, washington get off your ass a do something!
SEMPER FI
DANNY P
RETIRED
Radical Islamists have no regard for human life Whether it is in Syria, Gaza, Afganistan or anywhere. The Arab countries should begin sending more shoulder fired anti-aircraft weapons to the rebels. If the Russians are supplying Assad with helicopter gunships, it is only fair that the other side is supplied with these weapons.
Of course, these weapons will eventually be sold to Hamas and Hezbollah, but what can you do.
Al Quaida now wants to get involved. Now we have to stay out. We will be helping get rid of one ruthless dictator to help Al Quaida get a foothold there.
"According to a Reuters translation of the (just released Al Quaida) video, al-Libi called on Islamist fighters outside Syria to join rebels in their fight against President Bashar al-Assad.
"We call on our brothers in Iraq, Jordan and Turkey to go to help their brothers,'' he said. "If your revolution was to be peaceful, God would have chosen it that way, but now the illusion of peaceful means after these great sacrifices ... would show weakness."
Notice that they say their brothers in Iraq. That means that there is an Al Quaida presence there also.
I believe both sides a responsible for using human shields. Also a lot will be mis-information used as propaganda.
What can be done:(
Then again , I have a hard time believing anything the un says ..
I wonder what Putin's parents would say if they knew he turned out to be a facilitator in mass murder against children.?
Oh, i forgot...His parents were NKVD snitches and enforcers.
..I guess the "apple" never falls far from the "tree"..
He could have been such a promising adult...especially since he is the only one, along with China, that is prolonging this horrific episode in World History...
History will repeat, my friend.......