Report: Assad moving inmates to military targets
Buses filled with prisoners moved to military targets to be used as human shields against Western airstrikes, British paper reports
According to the report, Damascus residents said they saw buses filled with inmates being taken from their cells to sites the regime believes could be targets.
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The opposition Syrian National Coalition said: “Assad’s fascist regime is amassing activists and civilians in prisons in military locations that may be targets for foreign forces.
Thousands of protesters, rebels and dissidents have been held since the start of the 2011 uprising, the report said.
“Using civilians as human shields is a breach of international humanitarian law, and those responsible must be held accountable for crimes against humanity.”
One woman said: “People are scared the US will attack places where the prisoners are held.
"They are afraid as military bases are in built-up areas so civilians may be caught in attacks. "They have seen the civilians killed by US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
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