Syrian troops 'shoot to kill'

A report released on Thursday by humanitarian group Human Rights Watch claimed Syrian military commanders were directly ordered to indiscriminately fire at bystanders and unarmed anti-government protesters.

Troops were reported to have been commanded to stop the demonstrators ''by all means necessary, including lethal force.''

Former soldiers interviewed for the report named 74 military and intelligence officers "who allegedly ordered, authorized, or condoned widespread killings, torture, and unlawful arrests," said Anna Neistat, Human Rights Watch associate director for emergencies.

A former soldier identified by the group as "Amjad" said he was deployed in the southern city of Daraa, and ordered by his commanders to fire on protesters on April 25.

"The commander of our regiment, Brigadier General Ramadan Ramadan said, 'use heavy shooting. Nobody will ask you to explain,'" said Amjad.

"And when somebody asked what we were supposed to shoot at, he said, 'At anything in front of you'. About 40 protesters were killed that day," he said. "Normally we are supposed to save bullets, but this time he said, 'use as many bullets as you want,'" Amjad was quoted as saying in the report.

The report's release comes one week after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said he had never asked troops to shoot at protestors.

Defectors clash with military

Meanwhile clashes on Thursday between Syrian forces and military deserters left at least 27 military personnel dead.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the deaths occurred at three separate battles in the southern province of Daraa.

Defectors fought with forces loyal to Assad at two locations in the city of Deraa, as well as at a checkpoint about 25 kilometres (15 miles) to the east of the town, the rights group reported.

High casualties amongst security forces suggest co-ordinated strikes by army rebels, said the group, but there was no indication of what had led to the recent clashes.

The soldiers' deaths on Thursday come just a day after eight defense troops were killed in a revenge attack following claims security forces shot five unarmed civilians. Among the 21 civilians reported killed in the widespread clashes on Wednesday was an Iraqi woman who snipers gunned down on the outskirts of Damascus.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has blamed the 10-month-long bloodshed on armed rebels, while Human Right's Watch says most of the protests it has documented were peaceful.

World leaders called to act

The United Nations estimates that more than 5,000 people have been killed since Assad's crackdown on anti-government protests, inspired by uprisings elsewhere in the Arab world. With the death toll rising, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay called on Tuesday for the International Security Council to refer the case to the International Criminal Court (ICC). As Syria is not a member of the ICC, the court is only able to intervene after referral from the Security Council, a move that would be subject to a veto by permanent members China and Syrian ally, Russia.

United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon has urged world powers to act "in the name of humanity" against the crackdown. United States State Department special co-ordinator on Middle East affairs, Frederic Hof, likened the Damascus regime to a "dead man walking," urging Russia, China and India to put politics aside and unite with the West on action against the Assad regime.

The dissent has been overshadowed by the armed insurgency against forces loyal to the Syrian leader. Local authorities say rebels have targeted civilians and security forces since the start of the uprising, killing more than 1,000 soldiers, police and security personnel.

The first congress of the Syrian National Council is due to open in the Tunisian capital, Tunis, on Friday. The three-day meeting will be attended by council leader Burhan Ghaliun and 200 other members where they will discuss the explosive situation in the country. The congress was originally scheduled for September, but was deferred due to the volatile situation in Syria.

Iraq is set to send a delegation to Syria, in a move to try to end the bloodshed in its western neighbor, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said in Washington on Thursday. Iraq has expressed growing apprehension over the potential for violence to spread over the border. Maliki and his government are refusing to enforce the Arab League sanctions citing the country's close ties with Syria.

Author: Jessie Wingard (AP, Reuters, AFP, dpa)
Editor: Rob Mudge