Mass Grave Found in Eastern Syria, Believed to be Tribesmen Killed by ISIS

More than 230 people believed to have been killed by the Islamic State have been found in a mass grave in eastern Syria, BBC reports, citing activists.

The mass grave is thought to belong to members of the Sheitat tribe that fled the militants in Deir Ezzor this summer.

“Investigators said it appeared to have been perpetrated by [ISIS] in a struggle for control of oil resources near the town of Mohassan,” BBC reports.

“The killings were reported to have taken place after negotiations between the two sides broke down … tribal elders refusing to give their allegiance to [ISIS],” it added.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the 230 bodies were discovered by returning members of the Sheitat tribe in a mass grave near the village of Kashkoya, in eastern Deir Ezzor. The vast majority of the victims were civilians, “bringing the the number of Shaitat tribespeople killed during the summer to more than 900.”

The U.N. acknowledged last month that it had heard reports of a massacre taking place in August.

U.N. Unanimously Renews Resolution Allowing Cross-Border Aid to Syria

The United Nations Security Council unanimously renewed a resolution allowing cross-border aid delivery in Syria for another 12 months, the U.N. reports.

The council expressed outrage at the escalating violence and deteriorating humanitarian situation in Syria, where more than 12.2 million people are in need of aid.

In July the Council authorized U.N. agencies to cross conflict lines using border crossings from Turkey, Iraq and Jordan. It was an unprecedented decision to authorize delivery of aid into the country without the consent of the Syrian government.

This week’s move extends that authorization until January 10, 2016.

The new resolution called on all parties to the conflict to cease attacks against civilians and the targeting of schools and hospitals, including the use of indiscriminate weapons like barrel bombs, and the use of starvation as a tactic of war.

More Than 120,000 Pro-Assad Fighters Killed in Syria Conflict

More than 120,000 pro-Assad fighters have been killed in the Syrian conflict, Reuters reports, citing the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

According to the group, “11,000 members of government forces and loyalist militias had been killed in the five months since Assad delivered an inauguration speech for a third presidential term.”

“Another 4,492 fighters from loyalist militias had been killed, as well as 735 fighters of Arab, Asian and Iranian origin, and 91 from the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah,” the monitoring group added.

Exact death tolls have been difficult to verify, but the Observatory is widely cited as a source of conflict statistics. The U.N. stopped calculating the death toll in January, but it is widely believed that over 190,000 people have been killed in the conflict.

Recommended Reads:

• Reuters Exclusive: As Easy Targets Thin, Syria Strikes by U.S. Allies Plunge
• New York Times: The Destruction of Syria’s Cultural Patrimony
• Reuters: More Than 120,000 Pro-Assad Fighters Killed in Syria Conflict
• New York Times: U.S. Penalizes Companies for Providing Fuel to Syrian Forces
• Guardian: Syria: Where Modern and Medieval Warfare Combines
• AFP: Afghans Fighting in Syria Alongside Regime

Courtesy of AP Images