The Chairman of the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Syria, Paulo Pinheiro, presented a report drawn up by a panel of United Nations human rights experts today detailing the war crimes committed by both Syrian and opposition forces in Syria.

The Commission was created in August of 2011. Its report, the fourth since its creation, encompasses the period between January 15th to May 15th of this year. It used 430 interviews and other evidence gathered to compile the report.

The report stated that even though both sides have committed violations and abuses during the conflict, that the opposition forces misdeeds did not reach the scale and intensity of the crimes committed by the Syrian forces and militia loyal to the Assad regime.

The Government troops and militia have committed rape, murder, torture, forced displacement, enforced disappearance and other inhumane acts according to the report.

The report also pointed out that the opposition forces were not without fault. Listed as their war crimes were murder, sentencing and execution without due process, torture, hostage-taking and pillage.

The report also made mention of chemical weapons use in Syria. While they are fairly certain that chemical weapons have been deployed on a limited basis within the country, they do not know the precise chemical weapons used however. They report that they cannot determine that until experts are able to gain access to the victims as well as the sites where the suspected chemical weapons were used.

The report concluded that “There is a human cost to the political impasse that has come to characterise the response of the international community to the war in Syria. The desperation of the parties to the conflict has resulted in new levels of cruelty and brutality, bolstered by an increase in the availability of weapons. Increased arm transfers hurt the prospect of a political settlement to the conflict, fuel the multiplication of armed actors at the national and regional levels and have devastating consequences for civilians.”

In the report, it was pointed out that the only solution to the conflict in Syria is a diplomatic one. Negotiations are the only way that the war will end. The panel called for a de-escalation and not arming the forces in the conflict further.

This report comes days aftter the European Union voted to amend the embargo that stalled the sending of weapons to opposition forces and Russia’s declaration that they would honor weapons contracts with the Syrian government.

The report can be read in its entirety here.