HRW: Syria rebels attacking Shia and Christian religious sites

[RFS_Br]

HRW: Syria rebels attacking Shia and Christian religious sites

New York-based advocacy group Human Rights Watch warned that rebel groups appeared to have destroyed or allowed the looting of minority religious sites in northern Syria.

"The destruction of religious sites is furthering sectarian fears and compounding the tragedies of the country," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at the New York-based HRW.

In the northern Idlib province, where rebels have taken swathes of territory from government forces, the New York-based rights group said opposition fighters destroyed a Shia "husseiniya" - a site for worship and gatherings.

A video published online showed rebels hoisting assault rifles in the air and cheering as the site in the village of Zarzour, taken by rebels in December, burned in the background.

Indiscipline and looting by rebels in some areas has also undermined civilian support for their cause, especially among minority groups.

In the western Latakia province, Human Rights Watch quoted residents as saying gunmen working "in the name of the opposition" had broken into and stolen from Christian churches in two villages.

A resident in Jdeideh, one of the villages, reported that gunmen had broken into the local church, stolen and fired shots inside, after government troops had fled, the rights group said. Local rebels denied they attacked the church, it added.

"While the motivation for the church break-ins may have been theft rather than a religious attack, opposition fighters have a responsibility to protect religious sites in areas under their control from willful damage and theft," Human Rights Watch said.

Forty-six percent of population rely on agriculture sector, in tatters

Meanwhile, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization in a statement on Wednesday the livelihoods of about half of the country's population were threatened as a result of the Syrian crisis.

The UN says that about 80 percent of 10 million Syrians -- about 46 percent of the population -- derive their livelihoods from agriculture.

"Twenty-two months of conflict has left Syria's agricultural sector in tatters with cereal, fruit and vegetable production dropping for some by half and massive destruction of irrigation and other infrastructure," the statement said.

"Destruction of infrastructure in all sectors is massive," said Dominique Burgeon, FAO's Emergency and Rehabilitation Division director after a five-day visit to both regime- and rebel-controlled areas.

The FAO said wheat and barley production was halved last year, going from 4 to 4.5 million tonnes in normal years to less than 2 million tonnes.

"Only 45 percent of the farmers were able to fully harvest their cereal crops while 14 percent reported they could not harvest due to insecurity and lack of fuel," the FAO said.

It highlighted a lack of irrigation because of damage to irrigation canals and a lack of fuel, while the movement of livestock to grazing areas was thwarted.

The survival of livestock, said the FAO, "is compromised by the lack of animal feed and veterinary drugs, the importation of which is hampered by sanctions."

Poultry farms have also been destroyed in the central provinces of Homs and Hama, and in Idlib in the northwest.

 

[ashok321]

Nothing new, in Egypt, Nigeria, Mali its all same.

 

[RFS_Br]

Nothing new, in Egypt, Nigeria, Mali its all same.

There may be similarities between Mali and Syria, but in Egypt and Nigeria the situation isn't comparable. In the latter two countries, the Salafi elements are native, whereas in the first two (Mali and Syria) they're mostly foreign, and penetrated the countries in the context of civil wars. In Nigeria, moreover, attacks on Christians have been happening in the backdrop of very old ethnic tensions wherein the Christian groups are far from being hapless victims. And in Egypt, Salafi elements, though occasionally intimidating, have so far not grown into an armed movement against the government; in modus operandi, they have more in common with xenophobic far-right groups in Europe than with armed Jihadis in the other three countries.

 

[K-Xeroid]

Threads title must be the reaction of Sunni rebels after getting massacred by Assad Army and shabiha terrorists. Assad have killed thousands of them including women and kids.

 

[ashok321]

There may be similarities between Mali and Syria, but in Egypt and Nigeria the situation isn't comparable. In the latter two countries, the Salafi elements are native, while in the first two (Mali and Syria) they're mostly foreign, and penetrated the country in the context of civil wars. In Nigeria, moreover, attacks on Christians have been happening in the backdrop of very old ethnic clashes wherein the Christian groups are far from being hapless victims. And in Egypt, Salafi elements, though occasionally intimidating, have so far not grown into an armed movement against the government; in modus operandi, they have more in common with xenophobic far-right groups in Europe than with armed Jihadis in the other three countries.

End goal is to decimate non Muslims in their countries and nobody is accusing them of pogrom or genocide. And these attacks are very frequent to speak of.

 

[RFS_Br]

End goal is to decimate non Muslims in their countries and nobody is accusing them of pogrom or genocide. And these attacks are very frequent to speak of.

For starters, the shrines that Salafis have attacked in Mali and Egypt are Muslim; the "problem" is that they don't subscribe to a religious philosophy the Salafis approve of. As for lack of criticism J!hadi actions, I have no idea what are you on about. There's been plenty of coverage of Boko Haram's violence against Christians (whereas Christian violence against Muslims is hidden behind a wall of silence by the press), and in Mali, the J!hadi presence has even prompted international intervention. The problem isn't that Salafi terror isn't generally discussed; the problem is that it isn't discussed as much as it should when it comes to Syria. But this omission has less to do with complacency with radical Muslim groups, and more to do with the West's anti-Assad agenda. Since Assad is an ally of Iran's and supports Hezbollah, which is the greatest check against Israeli militarism in the northern Levant, he must be removed, even if this means enabling Al-Qaeda in the process. The West (and the minorities in Syria) will, once again, pay for its support for Israel.

 

[Cherokee]

These Salafi rodents needs to be eliminated completely . If they Threat People of Their Religion like this , i cannot even begin to imagine plight of others .

These extremists leave blood trail wherever they go from Afghanistan to Pakistan's Frontier areas to even Africa.

 

[ashok321]

These Salafi rodents needs to be eliminated completely

Why?

This is a strain of Sunni Islam, just as Wahabism is, so why declare them null and void.
That way Sunni Islam becomes tainted.

Just because these strains are prevalent in Saudi Arabia - the Gaurdian of Mecca and the champions of Islam.

Something that came from the land of Rasool - prophet Muhammed.
By so doing, you are disregarding Islam.

Dont you think so?

 

[somebozo]

To call alquaida terrorist a rebel is disgrace to the respectful activities of rebellion!

Why?

This is a strain of Sunni Islam, just as Wahabism is, so why declare them null and void.
That way Sunni Islam becomes tainted.

Just because these strains are prevalent in Saudi Arabia - the Gaurdian of Mecca and the champions of Islam.

Something that came from the land of Rasool - prophet Muhammed.
By so doing, you are disregarding Islam.

Dont you think so?

The reason why Islam keep fracturing into various segments and sects is because preaching islam has become more of a political and historical sensation rather than the message of quran itself. People look up to books written by political mullahs for guidance rather than keeping the religion to themselves and STFU!

 

[Syrian Lion]

FSA are nothing but foreign terrorists backed by the west and gcc... this is their democracy, which is to kill everyone who has a different belief...
Since day one in their "Peaceful" protests, they were chanting "Alawies to tabout (coffin), and Christians to Beirut" , what freedom is this?