Report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic

With no end in sight, the Syrian conflict has continued to intensify. Civilians, Syrians of all backgrounds, have been the subject of crimes against humanity and war crimes, as well as other serious violations of international humanitarian law and gross violations of their human rights. These transgressions are massive in extent and scope. Within the overall civilian population, groups and communities have been specifically targeted by one or more of the warring parties. Furthermore, there are groups and communities on which the war has left a distinct mark. Often individuals suffer on the basis of multiple aspects of their identity, including their gender, age, ethnicity, religion and profession. Civilians are suffering the unimaginable, as the world stands witness. Without stronger efforts to bring parties to the peace table, ready to compromise, current trends suggest that the Syrian conflict – and the killing and destruction it wreaks – will continue for the foreseeable future. From the interviews gathered by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, a resonant cry for peace and accountability rings out. It is the responsibility of the warring parties and influential States to seek peace, and the particular obligation of the Security Council, in the context of the war in the Syrian Arab Republic, to open a path to justice.