Former Syrian general to face trial in Sweden for alleged war crimes
A former Syrian general is set to face court over allegations he participated in war crimes committed in Syria in 2012.
Mohammed Hamo, 65, who lives in Sweden, is accused of having participated in the call for indiscriminate strikes in and around the cities of Hama and Homs between January 1st and July 20th, 2012, which local Swedish newspaper Nya Wermlands-tidningen was first to report.
The strikes were carried out by air and land without distinction – as required by international law – between civilian and military targets, the indictment, seen by the AFP news agency, states.
They also failed to respect the principle of proportionality to achieve the military goal sought, prosecutor Karolina Wieslander said. Hamo, given his role at the time, is accused of being complicit in these crimes.
He had particularly made decisions related to arming operational units and was responsible in that period for implementing various military operations.
Seven civil parties, several of them Syrians from the cities in question, will testify during the trial, which will be held at Stockholm District Court.
Among them is a British photographer who was injured during one of the strikes.
The war in Syria between Bashar al-Assad's regime and armed opposition groups including Islamic State, triggered in 2011 by the repression of peaceful anti-government protests, has killed more than half a million people.
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Mohammed Hamo, 65, who lives in Sweden, is accused of having participated in the call for indiscriminate strikes in and around the cities of Hama and Homs between January 1st and July 20th, 2012, which local Swedish newspaper Nya Wermlands-tidningen was first to report.
The strikes were carried out by air and land without distinction – as required by international law – between civilian and military targets, the indictment, seen by the AFP news agency, states.
They also failed to respect the principle of proportionality to achieve the military goal sought, prosecutor Karolina Wieslander said. Hamo, given his role at the time, is accused of being complicit in these crimes.
He had particularly made decisions related to arming operational units and was responsible in that period for implementing various military operations.
Seven civil parties, several of them Syrians from the cities in question, will testify during the trial, which will be held at Stockholm District Court.
Among them is a British photographer who was injured during one of the strikes.
The war in Syria between Bashar al-Assad's regime and armed opposition groups including Islamic State, triggered in 2011 by the repression of peaceful anti-government protests, has killed more than half a million people.
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