Syria opposition warns of 'impending massacre' in Damascus suburb
While the world's eyes are focused on the refugee crisis in Syria, members of the opposition say a massacres of civilians is about to take place in the Damascus suburbs.
2 min read
Darayya has witnessed bombardment for four years [Getty]
The Syrian opposition coalition on Monday warned of an impending massacre by regime forces in Darayya, west of Damascus, stressing that the regime's actions could amount to genocide.
The coalition statement said that the UN security council bears responsibility for any crime committed against civilians in the besieged city of Darayya, totally around 12,000. Around half of the population are women and children.
Regime forces in Western Ghouta have been besieging Daraya and Moadamiyeh for four years.
In recent days they launched a renewed assault on the city and were finally able to cut the road between the two opposition areas, thus cutting off supply routes.
Syrian regime advances in Aleppo and Daraa have led to mass displacement of tens of thousands of civlians, while Russian planes hit populated areas with barrel bombs, cluster bombs and missiles.
The coalition statement said that the deliberate cleansing of people has led to what is considered "genocide" under international law.
Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu also accused Russian earlier in the day of committing ethnic cleansing in Syria and compared the Syrian rebel's resistance to the Soviet Union's famous defence of Stalingrad against Nazi invaders.
Furthermore, the coalition condemned "all those who participated and participates in the planning, implementation and support of these crimes…carried out under the nose of the world, and continually for four years".
The statement added that the silence of the world has contributed to the continuation of the crimes.
The National Coalition also accused the international community of "rolling back to the era of lawlessness".
The opposition group added that the "international community abandoned its responsibilities to leave the forces of terrorism - Russia, Iran and the Assad regime - to tamper with the security and the lives of millions of Syrians".
The coalition also called for people across the world to pressure their governments to take action that might end sieges of opposition areas, the bombing of civilians and mass torture and extrajudicial killings by the Syrian regime.
The coalition statement said that the UN security council bears responsibility for any crime committed against civilians in the besieged city of Darayya, totally around 12,000. Around half of the population are women and children.
Regime forces in Western Ghouta have been besieging Daraya and Moadamiyeh for four years.
In recent days they launched a renewed assault on the city and were finally able to cut the road between the two opposition areas, thus cutting off supply routes.
Syrian regime advances in Aleppo and Daraa have led to mass displacement of tens of thousands of civlians, while Russian planes hit populated areas with barrel bombs, cluster bombs and missiles.
The coalition statement said that the deliberate cleansing of people has led to what is considered "genocide" under international law.
Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu also accused Russian earlier in the day of committing ethnic cleansing in Syria and compared the Syrian rebel's resistance to the Soviet Union's famous defence of Stalingrad against Nazi invaders.
Furthermore, the coalition condemned "all those who participated and participates in the planning, implementation and support of these crimes…carried out under the nose of the world, and continually for four years".
The statement added that the silence of the world has contributed to the continuation of the crimes.
The National Coalition also accused the international community of "rolling back to the era of lawlessness".
The opposition group added that the "international community abandoned its responsibilities to leave the forces of terrorism - Russia, Iran and the Assad regime - to tamper with the security and the lives of millions of Syrians".
The coalition also called for people across the world to pressure their governments to take action that might end sieges of opposition areas, the bombing of civilians and mass torture and extrajudicial killings by the Syrian regime.
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