Amidst increasing flare-ups in dozens of sites across the country, the AP reports that the International Red Cross has deemed the situation in Syria now constitutes a civil war. The appraisal carries increased potential for war crimes prosecutions, as international humanitarian law now applies to the fighting.
The United Nations claimed recently that pro-government forces utilized tanks, helicopters, and heavy artillery during fighting on Thursday, implicating President Bashar al-Assad’s forces in the assault. Anti-Assad activists claim that fighting has thus far cost approximately 17,000 lives.
