Syrian government forces have committed human rights violations, including executions, across the country "on an alarming scale" during military operations in the past three months, United Nations investigators said on Wednesday.
Their report, presented by investigation head Paulo Pinheiro to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, also listed multiple killings and kidnappings by armed opposition groups trying to topple President Bashar al-Assad.
"The situation on the ground is dangerously and quickly deteriorating," the report said."In the increasingly militarised context, human rights violations are occuring across the country on an alarming scale during military operations against locations believed to be hosting defectors and/or those perceived as affiliated with anti-government armed groups, including the Free Syrian Army," it said.
Syria's ambassador dismissed the accusations and threatened to end cooperation with international agencies.
The investigation's report also said it was unable to determine who carried out a massacre of more than 100 people in Houla in May but that forces loyal to Assad may have carried out many of the killings.
{{/usCountry}}The investigation's report also said it was unable to determine who carried out a massacre of more than 100 people in Houla in May but that forces loyal to Assad may have carried out many of the killings.
{{/usCountry}}Government troops were using machine guns, artillery and tanks to assault restive areas, including the city of Homs. For their part, the rebel forces were increasingly using improvised explosive devices, it said.
The UN investigators voiced concern that rebels were using children as medical porters, messengers and cooks.