Report on massacres in Syria released

Findings released by a U.N. panel reveal crimes carried out by both sides of the conflict in Syria.

The panel said on Thursday that the Syrian regime and rebel forces are carrying out illegal killings and torturing of captured victims.

The acts committed by the regime include torturing and killing captured opponents. In some instances they have also allegedly executed families of rebel soldiers in their homes.

The acts committed by the rebels have ranged from executions of military forces and suspected informants. They have resorted to kidnapping civilians and government forces to force a prisoner swap.

The Syrian conflict began 15 months ago and its main goal is to oust president Bashar al-Assad. Both sides have constantly blamed each other for the casualties with the regime pointing to terrorists and the rebels blaming the government opening fire on protestors.

The U.N. has confirmed that nine-thousand people have died so far in the conflict.

Flickr Photo by: Foreign and Commonwealth Office