Punishing war criminals part of political solution in Syria – SDC
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) demanded yesterday that those involved in a 2013 massacre of Syrian civilians in the Tadamon neighborhood of Damascus be brought to justice.
In video footage verified by The Guardian in a report published on Wednesday, members of Syrian Military Intelligence Branch 227 were shown firing at blindfolded, unarmed civilians in Tadamon, a residential neighborhood in the Syrian capital of Damascus. The video shows 41 people being murdered by an intelligence officer.
An investigation published earlier this week by New Lines Magazine, which was conducted by the two researchers profiled in The Guardian report, lists the full death toll at 288 civilians.
“No comprehensive political solution would be reached unless all those involved in such crimes are brought to justice,” said the SDC statement, which stressed the need to establish committees to investigate war crimes committed against Syrians.
In the same context, United States Department of State spokesman Ned Price released yesterday a statement condemning the Tadamon massacre.
Price’s statement indicated that the video “suggests additional evidence of war crimes committed by the Assad regime.”
Price noted that the Tadamon massacre is additional evidence of the “horrors the Syrians have endured for over a decade” and stated that the US supports the “brave individuals” who make efforts to bring al-Assad and his regime to justice.
“The United States government remains firmly committed to securing accountability for the atrocities the Assad regime continues to inflict upon Syrians,” he added.
The state department spokesman stressed that, “Accountability and justice for the crimes, violations, and abuses committed against Syrians are essential to a stable, just, and enduring peace in Syria and the region.”