By Brittani Howell

Impunity Watch Reporter, The Middle East

BAGHDAD, Iraq – On Friday, a suicide bomber detonated an explosive belt at a soccer game killing at least 41 people in a town south of Baghdad. Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for the attack, according to a statement issued by its news agency al-Amaq.

The attack which wounded 105 people occurred in the town of Iskandariyah in the Babil province struck a crowd gathering for a game between two local teams. The game was sponsored by Asaib Ahl al-Hag, a powerful Shi’ite militia with ties to Iran. A trophy was being presented to the winning team of the match when the bomb detonated.

Among those killed was the head of the local council and also injured two senior local figures of Asaib Ahl al-Haq according to the head of the local security, Falah Abdul Kareem. Sheik Jawad, the head of the Asaib Ahl al-Haq office in Babil Province, stated, ” The attack was carried to destabilize the confidence between the people and Asaib, to take revenge against us after our victories.”

The U.N Secretary-General for Iraq, Jan Kubis, condemned the attack carried out by the Islamic State. He stated, “The evildoers are aiming their wrath at the innocent and vulnerable civilians.” Kubis continued, “Today, Daesh committed yet another atrocity, targeting families who were enjoying their weekend attending a football game in their hometown. This abhorrent act deserves the strongest condemnation.”

The director of the U.S State Departments office of Press Relations Elizabeth Trudeau, provided a statement speaking against the attack, ” The United States condemns today’s suicide bombing claimed by Daesh… which killed and wounded dozens of Iraqis who had gathered to support a local football game.”

The Islamic State’s news agency, Amaq News Agency, reported that more than 60 people died and more than 100 people were wounded. They also reported that the bombing name was Saifullah al-Ansari, allegedly a fake name, and indicated that he was a local Iraqi or Syrian member. The news agency also provided the statement from Islamic State which stated, “Our knight immersed into their crowds until he detonated his belt, turning them into scattered parts.”

Earlier this month at least 33 people were killed and another 15 were wounded in a suicide bombing in Hilla in the Babil province. The Islamic State also claimed responsibility for this attack and stated, “the battle has just started and the coming will be worse.” This attack came just one week after two suicide bombings which targeted Shi’ite areas of Baghdad and killed over 100 people.

For more information, please see:

CNN – ISIS Claims Suicide Attack on Iraqi Stadium That Kills 33 – 26 March 2016

The Washington Post – Islamic State Suicide Bomber Kills Dozens at a Stadium south of Baghdad – 26 March 2016

BBC News – Iraq Violence: ‘IS Suicide Attack’ Kills 29 in Football Match – 25 March 2016

The New York Times – ISIS Suicide Bomber in Iraq Kills Dozens at Soccer Game – 25 March 2016

By Brittani Howell

Impunity Watch Reporter, The Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria –March 15, 2016 marked the fifth anniversary of the Syrian Civil War. The Syrian conflict has caused the deaths of over 250,000 people, has displaced 4.8 million from their homes to other countries, has internally displaced another 6.5 million from their homes, and has left 13.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi stated, “Syria is the biggest humanitarian and refugee crisis of our time, a continuing cause of suffering for millions which should be garnering a grounds well of support around the world.” He further stated that more countries need to take a greater share in providing for refugees until the suffering in Syria ends.

Many European countries have imposed border and entry restrictions, making it even more difficult for those left in Syria to leave. This has also put a burden on countries neighboring Syria and refugees in the neighboring countries are taking greater risks to get to Europe. Other refugees in countries neighboring Syria are resorting to dangerous methods of survival, such as early marriage, child labor, or sexual exploitation,

“We are at a cross roads now as we mark another sad milestone in Syria’s war. If the world fails to work together due to short-term interests, lack of courage and knee jerk reactions to shift the burden elsewhere, we will look back carefully on this lost opportunity to act with solidarity and shared humanity”, Grandi stated.

Numerous war crimes as well as crimes against humanity have been committed since the start of the conflict. These crimes include the use of toxic chemical weapons, including nerve agents and chlorine, indiscriminate weapons such as barrel bombs, executions, torture, sexual violence, sex slavery, and siege. Experts are calling for the international community to begin planning for revisions for Syrian civilians.

David Crane, Founding Chief Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone and Project Leader for the Syrian Accountability Project states in the Huffington Post article that “there are four possible transitional justice mechanisms for Syria that could be organized by the U.N. outside the Security Council: a fully domestic Syrian court; an internationalized domestic court; a regional special court; or an international hybrid Special Court, similar to the Special Court for Sierra Leone.”

Crane notes that under international law, war crimes and crimes against humanity are covered under the 1998 Rome Statue of the International Criminal Court but Syria is not a signatory, thus the ICC has non direct jurisdiction. The U.N Security Council has attempted to adopt a resolution that would refer the situation in Syria to the ICC but this has been opposed by both Russia and China, permanent members with veto powers.

The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stated, “I repeat my call to the Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Crime Court.” He continued, ” In Syria as elsewhere, peace without justice is not sustainable.”

A student run project at Syracuse University College of Law, the Syrian Accountability Project, has been documenting atrocities that have occurred in Syria in preparation for whatever traditional justice mechanism is chosen by the Syrian people. On March 24,2016 SAP published a white paper titled “Looking Through the Window Darkly: A Snapshot Analysis of Rape in Syria, 2011-2015.”

For more information, please see:

The Los Angeles Times –  Chronicling a Disaster: A Timeline of the Syrian Civil War –  15 March 2016

UNHCR – Syria Conflict at Five Years – 15 March 2016

United Nations News Centre – With Syrian Peace Talks Underway, UN Urges Support for Negotiations and Impacted Syrians – 15 March 2016

The Huffington Post –  Five Years on, We Must Focus on the Victims of Syria’s Atrocities – 14 March 2016