GENEVA

Syrians are facing increasing suffering and hardships due to the deadly consequences of over a decade of war, a new UN report said on Tuesday.

The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic released a new report on human rights in Syria during the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council sitting from Sept. 12 to Oct. 7.

“Today, Syrians face increasing and intolerable hardships, living among the ruins of this lengthy conflict,” said Paulo Pinheiro, the commission chair, launching the latest 50-page report, covering Jan. 1 to June 30.

“Millions are suffering and dying in displacement camps, while resources are becoming scarcer and donor fatigue is rising. Syria cannot afford a return to larger-scale fighting, but that is where it may be heading,” Pinheiro said.

The new report took note of civilians living in the border regions of Syria who are frequently targeted by forces affiliated with the Bashar al-Assad regime.

“Russia is still actively supporting the Syrian Government, particularly concerning airstrikes that have killed civilians and targeted food and water sources, including a well-known water station serving over 200,000 people,” said the report.

Fresh airstrikes

Just last week, fresh airstrikes caused further deaths and injuries in Idlib province, which are currently under investigation.

“Families living in front-line areas have borne the brunt of pro-government forces’ ground-to-ground shelling in these areas, with the report recording children killed on their way to school, men killed as they tended to their shops,” said the report.

An entire family was killed as they gathered outside their home for afternoon tea.

“Worryingly, the commission’s recent investigations confirm continued patterns of crimes against humanity and war crimes related to torture and ill-treatment committed in government detention to this day, also leading to the death of detainees,” the report said.

It said that during the reporting period, it also emerged that dozens of people who had been missing since they fled eastern Ghouta through humanitarian corridors established by Russia in 2018 have now been declared dead.

Some had likely been executed “as had been feared and alleged at the time,” the report added.