23/08/2013 18:59
UN confirms numerous deaths and injuries near Damascus
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay has said that her staff members have found confirmations of numerous deaths and thousands of wounded in the course of a military operation in the Damascus suburb of Guta this past Wednesday, Voice of Russia reported.
Navi Pillay strongly condemned the reported killing of hundreds of civilians – including many women and children - in the Damascus suburbs, and said the allegations that many deaths were the result of the use of chemical weapons must be investigated “as a matter of utmost urgency.”
"The Secretary-General’s team, headed by Dr. Sellstrom, is currently in Syria," Pillay said. "I urge the Government and opposition forces to enable them to examine the site of the alleged attacks without any delay or obfuscation."
"The use of chemical weapons is prohibited under customary international law,' the High Commissioner said. “This absolute prohibition applies in all circumstances, including armed conflict. As a norm of customary international law, it is binding on the Government despite it not being party to the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention. It is also binding on anti-Government armed groups.'
'These allegations are exceptionally grave and need to be comprehensively proved or disproved as soon as is humanly possible," she added. "Whether or not chemical weapons were in fact used, it seems that once again in Syria many civilians have been killed in flagrant contravention of international law."