UN finds human rights violations by Syria opposition

Moscow, April 19 (IANS/RIA Novosti) A UN commission has found serious human rights violations committed by Syria's opposition movement, a Russian minister has said.

"The chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria acknowledged that the opposition is also responsible for serious violations," Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said on Twitter.

The commission, established by the Human Rights Council in September to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law since March 2011 in Syria, is led by UN human rights expert Paulo Pinheiro.

Pinheiro previously warned against arming the Syrian opposition and said that "further militarization will contribute to escalation to full-fledged civil war".

He cited the commission's second report which concluded that "the only solution is a negotiated settlement".

The UN estimates that more than 9,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed and thousands displaced since the uprising -- part of the broader Arab Spring movement across North Africa and the Middle East -- began in March last year.

--IANS/RIA Novosti

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