DCHRS documented 2360 victims in October 2013, among those 290 were children and 154 were women

Casualties Report for October 2013

As the war endures, violence and systematic human rights abuses continue to be common tactics used by the Syrian government regime’s forces. DCHRS documented in the month of October 2013 a total of 2360 victims who were killed by regime forces and their loyal militias. 65% of those killed were civilians, totaling 1534 victims; the 826 remaining victims, which make up approximately 35% of those killed, were armed opposition forces.

DCHRS documented a total of 290 children victims, representing 12% of the total number of victims. In addition the number of documented women killed was 154, representing 7% of the total number of victims.

DCHRS concluded that the main cause of death for 1147 of these victims was indiscriminate shelling and airstrikes targeting the residential areas. Furthermore, the cases of extrajudicial killings and field executions that were perpetrated by regime’s forces resulted in the death of 74 victims. In addition the total number of victims who were tortured to death in the prisons and detentions centers of the Syrian security authorities totaled 148 victims.

The province of Damascus and its suburbs, which witnessed the most violent battles, recorded the highest number of casualties totaling 689 victims, out of which 460 were civilians. Finally, the Center documented a total of 22 non-Syrian citizens from other nationalities who were fighting with Syrian Armed opposition forces.

DCHRS learned that the Syrian regime forces continue to target civilians and purposefully use direct brutal violence against them. As a result the number of civilians killed reached 6 5% of the total number of victims. It was also concluded that approximately 49% of these deaths were caused by shelling, missiles, and airstrikes. DCHRS indicates and stresses that such high numbers of casualties in correlation to these cruel causes of death provide evidence that the Syrian regime forces are intentionally targeting civilians, ruthlessly punishing them, and recklessly ignoring any basic right of their existence. Furthermore, the results stated that violations of international human rights laws and humanitarian laws occurred, including torture, extrajudicial killings, and other forms of violations that are categorized under war crimes and crimes against humanity.

DCHRS demands that civilians be protected according to the laws approved by the U.N in 2005. Since DCHRS is a member of the International Coalition for the Responsibility to Protect (ICRtoP), DCHRS appeals to the international community to enforce the “Responsibility to Protect”. Furthermore, DCHRS calls on all the international medical and humanitarian organizations to provide support, medical assistance, and relief to ease the suffering of the Syrian people both inside Syria and abroad. Finally, DCHRS demands the prosecution of the perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity and to bring them to justice.

Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies (DCHRS)

Damascus, Syria, 11 /03/2013.

For more information, please contact
Dr. Radwan Ziadeh, Executive director of the Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies.
Phone (571) 205-3590
Email : radwan.ziadeh@gmail.com

Dr. Abdul Qadir Rageh, Office field manager.
Telephone 00966556129784
Email: abdol-rajeh@hotmail.com

DCHRS is an independent, non-governmental organization, established in 2005, located in the Syrian capital of Damascus. Its mission is to foster a spirit of support and respect for the values and standards of human rights in Syria. As such, DCHRS recognizes and adheres to all pertinent international human rights agreements and declarations issued by the UN.

DCHRS worked on a variety of documentation projects. Such projects included daily casualty reports, massacre reports, and other human rights violations reports. Also DCHRS has been working on advocacy and lobbying in different human rights institutions in order to educate and acknowledge about the deteriorating human rights situation in Syria. DCHRS opened local offices in Syria in order to document, collect, and observe human rights violations on the ground. After the launch of the Syrian revolution, the center increased its activities through working, communicating, and coordinating with many members and activists. Thus the center began documenting daily violations committed by the Syrian regime forces that can be classified as crimes against humanities and war crimes. Such violations included: extrajudicial killings, massacres, arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, rape, torture in prisons. DCHRS submitted those reports to many international and regional human rights organizations and communicated with the Report of the independent international commission of inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic on Syria.