Syria: Over 2,600 Have Died In Unrest, Report Says

GENEVA — At least 2,600 people have died in the six months of unrest that has swept Syria, the U.N.'s top human rights official said Monday, as a panel was named to investigate abuses in the Arab country.

The figure released by U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay adds to evidence that Syrian leader Bashar Assad is continuing his crackdown on anti-government dissidents despite international pressure.

"According to reliable sources on the ground, the number of those killed since the onset of the unrest in mid-March 2011 in that country has now reached at least 2,600," Pillay said. She added that her office continues to be denied access to Syria.

"The situation in Syria is still dire," Pillay told reporters after a speech at the U.N. Human Rights Council.

Last month, the Geneva-based body held an emergency meeting at which it voted overwhelmingly to demand Assad's government end its bloody crackdown.

"From the time that the Human Rights Council passed its resolution and the Security Council has addressed the matter, the situation in Syria has worsened and peaceful protesters have been killed," Pillay said, adding that she was "shocked" by the rising death toll.

The council on Monday named three independent experts to lead an international investigation of allegations of human rights abuses in Syria.

They are Turkish women's rights expert Yakin Erturk; former U.N. investigator for Myanmar Sergio Pinheiro of Brazil; and Karen Abu Zayd, a U.S. citizen and former head of UNRWA, the U.N. agency that aids Palestinian refugees.

Comments

[jamesjv]

06:42 PM on 09/14/2011

Not much interest in 2600 plus dead Syrians, but look at how many posts for 9 dead Turkish protesters trying to break a LEGAL blockade.

As I have said before, no one cares about the dead, they only care if Israel was involved.

[korzib]

10:13 PM on 09/13/2011

2600 dead / 40 comments = 65 dead / comment. Let's be lenient and assume that each comment is completely appalled by the slaughter and that each comment has 65 words. So, each Arab life snuffed out by an Arab dictator is worth the equivalent of the time it takes to write 1 word from the entirety of the Huffpo readership. Those are some impressive stats.

[americaisracist]

06:04 PM on 09/13/2011

How about all those who were tortured, raped, killed by US forces in all their invasions and their lockups of civilians who were just trying to defend their homes?

[tallen]

11:45 AM on 09/13/2011

The toll is probably much, much, higher.

Interesting that when it comes to Syria's ongoing slaughter there are only 33 comments.

[smallf374]

05:15 PM on 09/13/2011

34 now

[John H Gillespie]

05:15 PM on 09/13/2011

If the UN was to send in their mad-dog-killers --your 33 would jump in a hurry.
Americans find having a government kill their people boring--they like it when outsiders come in & slaughter people.

[keezze]

10:35 PM on 09/12/2011

Shameful how syrian blood spills and not a peep from turkey their fellow islamic muslem neighbors. They are preoccupied with shipping weapons to palistinians unimpeeded. Where is the out cry. Indonesia, egypt, iran iraq every african country nothing dont they realize if it can happen their it can happen anywhere. One day I hope syria stands tall and free, without dictators and his secret army gunning down citizens, such a waste. Let every muslem learn this lesson that the curruption of ultamit power leads only to death murder and no freedom

[thinkermom]

08:36 PM on 09/12/2011

"According to reliable sources on the ground, the number of those killed since the onset of the unrest in mid-March 2011 in that country has now reached at least 2,600," Pillay said. She added that her office continues to be denied access to Syria." So they must be getting this information from anti=Assad protestors. I have never seen so much media coverage on such little reliable evidence. Anyone can take fake photos.

[Erewhon7]

01:08 AM on 09/13/2011

You can always tell you're in the midst of suburban liberals--because
any despot and outrage is excused as long as said despots are anti-American.

[myopinion2]

06:37 PM on 09/12/2011

Look at these posts. Minimal numbers, and no outrage, no caring. The only concern is that the US should stay out. we're getting pretty selfish people. Lybia cost us relatively little.

[Ilan Chico]

07:35 PM on 09/12/2011

yup but go read the anti israel comments on the Turkish/ israeli flotilla incident over a year ago lol Which by the way the Israelis were proven completely within legal bounds and all evidence showed they were attacked first etc....

People are complaisant until it comes to their irrational hatred of Israel :)

[trouble4]

08:49 PM on 09/12/2011

2 million dollars a day is little?

[smallf374]

05:18 PM on 09/13/2011

and that # came from were?

[writescripts]

04:45 PM on 09/12/2011

We need to get out of, and stay out of, ALL foreign civil wars!

[redsoxpagan]

02:17 PM on 09/12/2011

Sadly, these numbers are already outdated. They also only include the bodies they've found, so to speak, and not the ones hidden in mass graves or according to some reports, were thrown out over the Mediterranean

[twinoaks17]

01:05 PM on 09/12/2011

what a bummer. i sold 4 months ago at 800.

[one1byke]

01:02 PM on 09/12/2011

War is Hell!

[Readerroz]

12:26 PM on 09/12/2011

Thank you, Jesus, for my birth in the US. The people of Syria WILL prevail in their battle for national self-determination and then, I fervently hope, we see a natural progression to democracy without American military intervention. When the people prevail, risking their lives and the lives of their families, their collective voice, and that of their martyrs, must surely define the destiny of their ancient and rich culture. If their monster "leader" survives with his life intact, I wonder how fast he'll move before he starts withdrawing a few billion from the $$ he has stashed in Switzerland.

[g9]

04:31 PM on 09/12/2011

what does jesus have to do with this ?

[Moxo]

11:24 AM on 09/12/2011

Waiting for the GOP Leadership to denounce Bushir Assad.....

[Weeweed Up]

12:47 PM on 09/12/2011

Have a seat. Read a magazine. You're going to have a long wait. Unfortunately, we're all tapped out with military interventions in other countries. So sad for Syria.

[johnfnlennon]

01:43 PM on 09/12/2011

The middle east is paying a high price to move into the twenty first century

[Ronald Boldt]

11:16 AM on 09/12/2011

So UN is now going to tell the US military that we have to go there an do another peace action/kenetic action. If you say enough is enough then elect Ron Paul and there will be no more of these police actions where our troops get killed for nothing more then neocon greed. We need to take care of our own backyard before we clean up others.

[Rosin the Bow]

11:03 AM on 09/12/2011

Wonder why some ME conflicts we get involved in and some we don't.

[Ronald Boldt]

11:17 AM on 09/12/2011

Simple it is called greed, and theft of natural resources. Don't like that, then vote for Ron Paul.

[cog702]

12:24 PM on 09/12/2011

Only difference between rp and the rest is he wants to take us back to the late 1800's versions of greed. Had far fewer laws and ways to control greed back then.