Press release
Syrian Opposition Coalition
Department of Media and Communications
December 22, 2023
Today marks the seventh anniversary of the mass forced displacement orchestrated by the Assad regime and its supporters against the residents of Aleppo. The Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC) underscores the gravity of this atrocity amid a backdrop of international silence surrounding the preceding carnage and barbaric bombings. These actions, devoid of any regard for international humanitarian law and established norms, unequivocally constitute war crimes.
The SOC strongly condemns the conspicuous international inaction and suspicious silence surrounding war crimes, particularly the forced displacement inflicted upon the Syrian people. Beginning with the town of Qusayr in Homs, this egregious violation extended to numerous Syrian provinces, perpetuating a series of war crimes without consequence. This regrettable lack of intervention served as a tacit approval for the Assad regime and its allies to persist in their brutal military tactics against the Syrian populace, perpetrating further war crimes and violations.
As the years have passed without holding the perpetrators accountable, the SOC emphasizes that this has eroded the confidence of Syrians in the international community’s ability to deliver justice in Syria. In response to this alarming trend, the SOC urgently calls upon the international community, represented by the United Nations and its Security Council, to ensure accountability for these heinous atrocities.
Furthermore, the SOC calls on friendly nations to pursue accountability for all war criminals, with a specific focus on Bashar al-Assad and key figures of his regime, in the national courts of each respective country. Additionally, we urge concerted efforts to support and invigorate the political process in Geneva, emphasizing the full and strict implementation of UN resolution 2254 (2015). It is crucial to stand in solidarity with the aspirations of the Syrian people for freedom, justice, and democracy.
