UN Investigators Draw Up New List Of Syria War Crimes Suspects

A Syrian woman walks past a destroyed building while walking to a food-distribution center in Aleppo.

United Nations human rights investigators have drawn up a new list of individuals and units suspected of committing war crimes in Syria.

The independent panel appointed by the Human Rights Council, presenting its findings on September 17 in Geneva, said serious rights violations were on the rise in Syria and urged the UN Security Council to refer the situation to the International Criminal Court.

The panel also confirmed the presence of Islamist militants in the country, some joining armed antigovernment groups and others operating independently.

The head of the panel, Brazilian diplomat and professor Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, said the militants tended to radicalize the rebels.

Activists say at least 23,000 people have been killed in Syria since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began 18 months ago.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AP