Human rights chief sounds alarm for besieged civilians in Syria

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights warned Friday that at least 200,000 Syrians trapped in the cities of Aleppo, Darayya, and Manbij were facing an "increasingly desperate situation" amid a recent upsurge in violence.

"The country is already a gigantic, devastated graveyard. The number of war crimes already committed surpasses the worst nightmares," said Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein in a statement.

"But it is in the power of both attacking and defending forces, and their foreign backers, to minimize further civilian casualties and avoid further crimes and atrocities," he added.

The human rights official urged warring parties to protect civilians confined by ongoing fighting between government forces, opposition factions, and terrorist groups.

He also called for the fundamental needs of those forced to survive in besieged locations to be respected, including the safe and regular access to food and water.

"The intentional starvation of civilians is a serious violation of international human rights and humanitarian law, and may constitute a war crime. Those responsible for such violations should be held criminally accountable," he highlighted.

"Even if they have become so brutalized they do not care about the innocent women, children, and men whose lives are in their hands, they should bear in mind that one day there will be a reckoning for all these crimes," Zeid concluded.

Hundreds of thousands of people have died since the crisis kicked off in March 2011.

Millions more have been forced to flee their homes as a result of reigning insecurity and violence. Endit