Human Rights Watch: Syrian forces using civilians as shields

PanARMENIAN.Net - Human Rights Watch accused Syrian forces Sunday of using civilians as human shields during recent military operations, as diplomatic pressure on President Bashar Assad's regime intensified, AP reported.

In a new report, the New York-based international watchdog said the Syrian army and pro-regime gunmen forced residents to march in front of them as they advanced on opposition-held areas in the northern Idlib province earlier this month.

The group cited witnesses who said it was clear that the purpose of the marching order was to protect the army from attack.

"By using civilians as human shields, the Syrian army is showing blatant disregard for their safety," said Ole Solvang, emergencies researcher at Human Rights Watch. "The Syrian army should immediately stop this abhorrent practice."

International condemnation and high-level diplomacy have failed to stop the year-old Syria crisis that the U.N. says has killed more than 8,000 people, many of them civilian protesters. In recent months, the uprising has transformed into an armed insurgency as army defectors and others say they want to bring down the regime by force.

Seeking to stem the violence, the U.S. and other key allies are considering providing Syrian rebels with communications help, medical aid and other "non-lethal" assistance.

President Barack Obama discussed the potential aid options Sunday in a lengthy private meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Both leaders are in Seoul, South Korea for a nuclear security summit.

The U.S., Europe and many Arab states have called on Assad to stand down, but Russia and China have protected Syria from condemnation by the U.N. Security Council.

Joint U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan is to discuss the crisis with Russian official in Moscow on Sunday. He is due to visit Beijing on Tuesday and Wednesday.