By Eileen Gould
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DARAA, Syria – Syrian military forces stormed a mosque in the southern town of Daraa on Saturday, killing at least four.  Opponents of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime had turned the mosque into a temporary hospital for those who were injured in the military’s assault on the town.

In the early morning hours, soldiers, backed by tanks and helicopters, attacked Daraa and seized control of the mosque.  According to witnesses, snipers took positions in the mosque’s minaret.  In addition, this incident was the first time helicopters were used against the opposition.  Three helicopters were used in the attack.

Witnesses indicated that Daraa is running out of food and medicine.  Water, electricity and telephones have been cut off for almost a week.  Residents of Daraa have remained in their homes. Men were forbidden from leaving their homes, but women were allowed to leave to search for bread. News about the crackdown is transmitted from one house to the next through windows.

It is difficult to determine precisely how many people have been killed at this time as the government has limited the number of foreign journalists to only a few foreign journalists and has restricted them.  Families have been unable to retrieve bodies from the streets and have put the bodies in a temporary morgue, according to human rights groups.   Since the conflict began in mid-March, it is estimated that 535 people have died.

To address the worsening situation in Syria, the United Nations Human Rights Council met and approved a resolution, requesting that the UN high commissioner for human rights investigate the human rights abuses in Syria on April 29. This special session was requested by sixteen members of the Human Rights Council, including the United States, Mexico, South Korea, Zambia and Senegal.  Seven members abstained from the vote, which passed twenty-six to nine.  Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain and Angola did not attend the session.

This incident came only a day after nearly sixty-five people were killed, most of them in Daraa, where several teenagers put anti-government graffiti on a wall, inciting a violence uprising.  The efforts of military forces to end the uprising have become increasingly brutal.  The government’s actions have been condemned by the international community.  Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron has described the crackdown as “completely disgraceful and unacceptable”.

For more information please see:
Sydney Morning Herald – Syrian Soldiers Storm City Mosque – 02 May 2011

The Guardian – Syrian Regime’s Shells Pound Deraa’s Roman Quarter – 01 May 2011

Human Rights Watch – UN: Syria Should Heed Call to End Violence – April 30, 2011

Washington Post – Syrian Troops Overwhelm Protest Town – 30 April 2011

By Eileen Gould
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DAMASCUS, Syria – Syrians protested in cities and towns across Syria to stage a “Day of Rage” in opposition to the government’s crackdown on the opposition.  The United States imposed sanctions on officials responsible for human rights violations in Syria.  The new sanctions in the executive order signed by President Obama on Friday builds on the sanctions that were imposed on Syria beginning in 2004 and calls on the United Nations human rights officials to investigate Syria for violations of international law.

The order named Maher al-Assad, brother of President Bashar al-Assad and an army commander, as one of the parties responsible for the incidents in Daraa.  It also named Assad’s cousin, Atif Najib, who was the head of the Political Security Directorate for Daraa in March, when a large number of protesters were killed by security forces.

Another party named in the sanctions order is the Iranian Quds Force, as being involved in providing “material support to the Syrian government related to cracking down on unrest in Syria”.

According to human rights groups, at least twelve people were killed as security forces fired on protesters in two cities – Latakia, and Homs.  In Daraa, a southern town, shots fired on protesters allegedly caused some casualties.  The protesters gathered in the streets after leaving noontime prayer at the mosques.

In Homs, the protesters were shouting “leave, leave” to President Assad.  The protests began in March as a democratic movement but have recently turned into more of a rebellion.

In response to demonstrations that occurred a week ago, Syria sent tanks into Daraa.  Water, electricity and communications have been cut off there.  According to human rights groups, at least thirty-eight individuals have died, although that number may in fact be much higher.  On the other hand, state television reported that four army soldiers have been killed.  The government has depicted the demonstrations as a rebellion by armed Islamist extremists.

The UN Human Rights Council approved the United States’ statement condemning the violence in Syria.  China, Russia, and several African countries voted against this statement primarily because these nations oppose taking action similar to that which was done in Libya with Muammar Qaddafi.

For more information please see:
Christian Science Monitor – UN Council Issues Tepid Rebuke of Syria – 29 April 2011

Reuters – White House Calls on Syria Leader to Change Course – 29 April 2011

Washington Post – Syrian Troops Open Fire on Protesters; U.S. Imposes Sanctions – 29 April 29, 2011