A Voice for the Voiceless

Three attacks target Egyptian Security forces after a bloody day of clashes with anti-government activists

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan

Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt–Ten people, mostly police offers and soldier, were killed in three separate attacks Monday in Egypt. An attack in the city of Ismailiya on the Suez Canal killed six soldiers when a gunman opened fire on a military patrol. Attackers allows fired rocket-propelled grenades in Maadi, a suburb of Egypt’s Capital.  Four people were killed and 55 injured in a suicide car bombing attack on the security headquarters in the Sinai Peninsula city of El-Tor.

Tires burn as supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi clash with security forces in downtown Cairo on Sunday (Photo courtesy of Al Jazeera)

Attacks have escalated in the Sinai Peninsula during the months following the military coup that took President Mohamed Morsi out of power. The latest attack in El-Tor was one of the first attacks to occur in the Southern Sinai region which is a popular tourist destination in Egypt. A senior security official told the Associated Press that Egyptian authorities are “expecting worse” attacks in the future.

The attacks followed a bloody day of demonstrates in Egypt. At least 53 people were killed and 268 more were injured across the country on Sunday. Thousands of Egyptians celebrated the October 6 holiday commemorating the start of the October 1973 War, the Yom Kippur Warm, against Israel in the streets across the country. Anti-government activities organized counter-protests against the military and attempted to occupy Tahrir Square where protesters gathered calling for an end to the Mubarak regime. However, the square was heavily guarded by state security forces.

Egyptian authorities had issued a warning to potential anti-government demonstrates that would protest during the states planned commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the October 1973 War. Ahmed al-Muslimani, a spokesperson for the Egyptian interim president said that protests against the Egyptian state military would not be tolerated on the anniversary of the October War. He said the protesters would be viewed as “carrying out the duties of agents, not activists,” and that “It is not befitting to go from a struggle against authorities to a conflict with the nation.”

On Saturday security forces fired teargas to break up a crowd of an estimated 1,000 anti-government activist who had tried to reach Rabaa al-Adawiya Mosque in northeaster Cairo. The Mosque was the site of the brutal military crackdown on a protest camp in August.

Egyptian Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi said in a statement that “evil elements” still posed a threat to the nation though they had lost most of their power; this appears to have been a reference to the Muslim Brotherhood, on Monday panel of judges recommended the dissolution of the Muslim Brotherhood’s status as a political organization, the Freedom and Justice Party. The recommendation appears to be another crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist elements with Egypt that have been targeted by state authorities since the ouster of President Morsi on July 3.

For more information please see:

Al Jazeera – Multiple Attacks Target Egypt State Security – 8 October 2013

BBC News – Egyptian Soldiers Killed In Ismailiya And Sinai Attacks – 7 October 2013

New York Times – Egyptian Attacks Are Escalating Amid Stalemate – 7 October 2013

Al Jazeera America – In Egypt, Demonstrations, Death Mark Anniversary Of 1973 War – 6 October 2013

SNHR: Death Toll in September 2013

Period covered:  September 2013

Subject: Death toll of civilians and SFA in September 2013

Prepared by Syrian Network for Human Rights

2,811 Syrian citizens were killed; including 792 armed rebels, 1584 civilians, 264 children, and 159 people who were tortured to death.

The daily average of killing this month was 95 people a day, 4 people an hour.

Among the 1,584 civilians SNHR documented:

264 child victims, with an average of 10 children a day.  The proportion of the children killed in relation to the death toll is 16%, a very high rate and strict evidence that the Syrian Government’s Armed Forces target the civilians.

SNHR would like to indicate that what we could document through our deployed members in all of the Syrian provinces are classified by names, date, place, photo or video.

We couldn’t document many cases of massacres and killings for many reasons.  One reason being due to the procedures repeatedly and systematically implemented by Syrian Government’s Armed Forces, like communications disconnections and blockading areas for many days.  These reasons make the actual number higher than the one provided.  Not to mention, the Syrian government has prevented all human rights organizations from performing their duty on its territory.

It should be mentioned that the work mechanism of Syrian Network for Human Rights’ Group is based on the precise verification and documentation method, and on our members who are deployed on the Syrian territory gathering facts and recording written testimonies, live images and videos, oral and registered interviews, audio and video interviews.  This is done with the purpose of complementing the efforts exerted to document human rights violations under the restrictions imposed by the Syrian government on the network members or any other Human Rights organization to work on Syrian territory.  The real number may exceed by dozens, especially in the case of massacres, where blockage and communication cuts are imposed.

Legal conclusions

1-     SNHR is assured that Syrian Government’s Armed Groups and Shabiha violated Provisions of Human Rights International Law, which protect the right of life, in addition to dozens of cases considered as a war crimes (murder cases).

Undoubted evidence via hundreds of eyewitness stories reveal that more than 90% of the expanded and individual attacks are directed against civilians, and that is all contrary to the Syrian Government’s claims that they are fighting Al-Qaeda and terrorist organizations.

2-     SNHR also indicates that the documented events are crimes against humanity, where the condition of widespread and systematic directed attacks against civilian population groups in most cases of murder was achieved.

Condemnation and Responsibilities:

Responsibility of states for internationally wrongful acts, similarly, Customary International Human Rights Law states that the state is responsible for all acts committed by a member of its military and security forces.  Thus, the state is responsible for wrongful acts committed by its military and security forces, including crimes against humanity.

SNHR holds the Syrian President, Commander in Chief of the Syrian army, Bashar al-Assad, responsible for all acts of homicide, torture, and massacres perpetrated in Syria as he holds the primary responsibility for giving the orders for these acts.  SNHR considers all Syrian regime members and heads of the security and military bodies directly complici in those acts.  By the same token, SNHR considers the Iranian government and Hezbullah as direct partners in the acts of homicide who shall legally and judicially be held liable for those acts along with all those funding and supporting the Syrian regime which is systematically committing massacres on a daily basis.  SNHR holds all the above mentioned parties responsible for all consequences and potential reactions from the Syrian people in general, and the families of the victims in particular.

Recommendations:

Human Rights Council:

1-    Call upon the Security Council and other relevant organizations to take upon their responsibility towards what is happening to the Syrian children, who suffer from the nonstop killing which does not even cease for an hour.

2-    Exert pressure on the Syrian government to stop the random and deliberate shelling of civilians.

3-    Hold the allies and supporters of the Syrian government: Russia, Iran, and China, morally and physically responsible for the killing in Syria.

4-    Provide serious attention of the disastrous situation and give it high priority, and try to take care of victims’ children and families.

Security Council:

1-    Decide to refer all the criminals and others involved to the ICC.

2-    Warn the Syrian Government of the repercussions of using brutal methods and the systematic killing, and send clear messages about what will happen if it fails to stop.

Arab League:

1-    Demand the Human Rights Council and United Nations to give this serious issue the right attention and follow up.

2-    Apply political and diplomatic pressure on the Syrian Government Troops’  main allies-Russia, Iran, and China to prevent them from continuously providing cover and international and political protection for all the crimes committed against the Syrian people and hold them morally and physically responsible for all the excesses of the Syrian Government Troops.