The Syrian Coalition condemned the “heinous crime” committed by a fighter of Nouraddin Zenki Movement, one of the armed opposition groups operating in Aleppo. The Coalition said it was deeply shocked by the footage showing the beheading of a child fighter north of the city.
In a press release issued earlier on Wednesday, the Coalition held the Assad regime and its Iranian ally mainly responsible for this crime. “The Ayatollah regime has not stopped issuing fatwas to encourage the recruiting of fighters into the militias they send to Syria, including children, under purely sectarian slogans,” the release said.
The Coalition stressed that “the crimes of the Assad regime and its allies should not be used as an excuse to ignore mistakes or abuses that are detrimental to the revolution and its principles.”
The Coalition called upon the international community to take concrete, serious action to stop child recruitment taking place within the ranks of regime forces and the Iranian-backed foreign militias. The child, who was recruited by the pro-regime Alquds Brigade, was captured during battles between rebel fighters and regime forces who were trying to advance on the Handarat Camp for Palestinian refugees north of Aleppo.
The Coalition pointed out that the barbaric crimes of the Assad regime as well as the Russian and Iranian invaders are undoubtedly the root cause of chaos spreading across Syria.
Nouraddin Zenki Movement on Tuesday has issued a statement condemning the “heinous crime,” stressing that the incident was “an isolated mistake by an individual,” and that “it does not represent the policy of the movement.” The statement reiterated the movement’s commitment to human rights laws and international treaties, adding that all fighters involved in the crime were detained and will face legal procedures.
The Syrian Coalition stressed the need for Nouraddin Zenki Movement to adhere to the commitments made in its statement released on Wednesday. The Coalition called on the Movement to coordinate with the legal authorities of the Syrian interim government in order to ensure a transparent and fair investigation into the crime and that appropriate punishment is given to the perpetrators.
The Coalition once again urged all the Free Syrian Army factions to reiterate full commitment to international laws and conventions. It also calls for zero tolerance on violations or abuses of any kind or condoning any act that contravenes the principles of the revolution and the aspirations of the Syrian people who have risen up demanding freedom, dignity and justice. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
