UN General Assembly Adopts Draft Resolution to Probe Crimes in Syria

UN General Assembly adopted a draft resolution establishing a mechanism to assist in the investigation of the "most serious" crimes in Syria, President of the General Assembly Peter Thomson said after the vote.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) — Thomson said that 105 members of UN General Assembly voted for the resolution.

"And the voting result is as follows: in favor 105, against 15 and abstentions 52. The draft resolution is adopted," Thomson stated on Wednesday.

The goal of the mechanism is to "collect, consolidate, preserve and analyze evidence of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights violations and abuses" in order to expedite criminal proceedings "in national, regional or international courts or tribunals that have or may in the future have jurisdiction over these crimes."

According to the resolution, Secretary-General has to take all necessary steps for the speedy establishment of a functioning mechanism. He also has 20 working days to adopt a resolution to establish the terms of reference of the Mechanism.

Syria has been in a state of civil war since 2011, with government forces fighting against numerous opposition and terrorist groups, such as the Jabhat Fatah al Sham and Daesh, both outlawed in Russia.

On December 16, the Russian Defense Ministry's center for Syrian reconciliation said that the Syrian army operation to liberate the eastern neighborhoods of the Syrian city of Aleppo was over, and that Syrian government troops were eliminating separate hotbeds of militant resistance.