UN denounces 'distressing scale of violence in coastal areas' in Syria

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00:00Fears grow over the extent of reprisals against Alawite Muslims largely loyal to the overthrown

00:05president of Syria, Bashar al-Assad.

00:08Now, while the interim president and former rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharra has declared

00:13an end to what he called an operation against extremists in the west of Syria, the extent

00:17of the violence there has shocked international observers.

00:20The United Nations says at least 111 civilians were killed.

00:23The actual figure, though, could be far higher.

00:27Let's bring in Tamim al-Khetan, who put the report together.

00:30He's the UN spokesperson for the High Commission of Refugees.

00:34Tamim, good evening to you.

00:36Summary executions, is that what we've been seeing in the west of Syria?

00:40Thank you, Mark.

00:41And if I may, I am the spokesperson for the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in fact.

00:46Yes, the reports continue to emerge.

00:50The situation is very distressing still.

00:52The operation, officially, the security operation has ended officially yesterday, but there

00:59are still intermittent clashes in rural areas in the coastal region of Syria.

01:07As we speak, I have been told that our colleagues have verified 125 civilian killings during

01:17these days.

01:18Of course, the process of verification is still ongoing, and the actual number of people

01:23killed is believed to be much, much higher.

01:28So we have documented cases of summary executions in very, very horrible accounts of unidentified

01:38armed individuals, members of armed groups who are allegedly supporting the caretaker

01:43authorities and also elements associated with the former government.

01:48We have seen accounts of people telling us that the perpetrators were raiding houses,

01:56asking residents whether they were Alawite or Sunni before killing them or sparing them

02:01accordingly.

02:02And even some survivors have told us that many men were shot dead in front of their

02:08families.

02:09There has to be some element of truth and reconciliation before there's any kind of

02:14healing process that goes forward to put Syria back together.

02:17While this is happening, clearly, that is a long way off.

02:22Sure, and what is needed today for Syria, of course, transitional justice, accountability

02:30are pillars of what Syria needs today to go forward.

02:37But for what has happened in these recent days specifically, we welcome, of course,

02:43the announcement by the caretaker authorities of the formation of a committee, an independent

02:49committee to investigate what has happened.

02:53These investigations must be a prompt, thorough, impartial and independent.

03:00And the results of these investigations must be announced to the public.

03:05Those who are found to be responsible for violations must be held to account regardless

03:10of their affiliation, political affiliation or religious affiliation.

03:14And this should be, this should happen in line with international law, of course, because

03:19victims and their families have the right to truth, justice and reparations.

03:24This is very important in order to avoid further inflaming tensions and damaging the social

03:33fabric of Syrian society.

03:34Tamir al-Qahtan, the UN Spokesperson on Human Rights, thank you very much for joining us

03:38and giving us this insight into what is happening in Syria.

03:41Clearly, lots of change there, of course, with the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad.

03:46But as Tamim was just saying, the extent of what is happening on the ground is shocking

03:51international observers, the United Nations talking of summary executions, 127 civilians

03:56killed, as Tamim was saying.

03:57And of course, we will follow all developments on this story.

04:00And our thanks again to Tamim al-Qahtan, the UN Spokesperson for the High Commissioner

04:04for Human Rights.

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