Amnesty International is accusing the Syrian government of crimes against humanity and deliberately targeting civilian areas linked to support for opposition rebels. In a new report, Amnesty says its researchers collected evidence from 23 villages and towns of indiscriminate killings by government forces and affiliated militias. Amnesty adviser Donatella Rovera said civilians are enduring massive brutality.

Donatella Rovera: “The civilian population is very much on the receiving end, getting caught in the conflict and being, quite frankly, mercilessly targeted by government forces who have been pounding towns and villages, going into people’s homes, taking young men out of the houses and executing them in front of their families and burning down their homes.”

In its report, Amnesty renewed its call for an arms embargo on Syria and for the Security Council to refer the Syrian government to the International Criminal Court.