Situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic A/RES/70/234 State in Iraq and the Levant (Da’esh), militias fighting on behalf of the regime, Al-Qaida-affiliated terrorist groups and other extremist groups, Expressing support for the work carried out by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, and strongly condemning the lack of cooperation by the Syrian authorities with the Commission of Inquiry, Noting with serious concern the observation of the Commission of Inquiry that, since March 2011, the Syrian authorities have conducted widespread attacks against the civilian population as a matter of policy, Recalling the statements made by the Secretary-General, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the special procedures of the Human Rights Council that crimes against humanity and war crimes are likely to have been committed in the Syrian Arab Republic, noting the repeated encouragement by the High Commissioner for the Security Council to refer the situation to the International Criminal Court, and regretting that a draft resolution 21 was not adopted notwithstanding broad support from Member States, Expressing its deepest concern about the findings of the Commission of Inquiry and also the allegations contained in the evidence presented by “Caesar” in January 2014 regarding the torture and execution of persons incarcerated by the Syrian authorities, and underscoring the need for those allegations and similar evidence to be collected, examined and made available for future accountability efforts, Expressing concern that the implementation of Security Council resolutions 2139 (2014), 2165 (2014) and 2191 (2014) remains largely unfulfilled, and noting the urgent need to strengthen efforts to address the humanitarian situation in the Syrian Arab Republic, including through protection of civilians and rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access, Recalling its commitment to Security Council resolutions 2170 (2014) and 2178 (2014), Alarmed that more than 4.2 million refugees, including more than 2.8 million women and children, have been forced to flee the Syrian Arab Republic and that 12.2 million people in the Syrian Arab Republic, of whom 6.5 million are internally displaced, require urgent humanitarian assistance, which has resulted in an influx of Syrian refugees into neighbouring countries, other countries in the region and beyond, and alarmed at the risk the situation presents to regional a nd international stability, Expressing its profound indignation at the death of many more than 10,000 children and the many more injured since the beginning of the peaceful protests in March 2011, and at all grave violations and abuses committed against c hildren in contravention of applicable international law, such as their recruitment and use, killing and maiming, rape and attacks on schools and hospitals, as well as their arbitrary arrest, detention, torture, ill-treatment and their use as human shields, Expressing its deep appreciation for the significant efforts that have been made by neighbouring countries and other countries in the region to accommodate Syrians, while acknowledging the increasing financial, socioeconomic and political impact of the presence of large-scale refugee and displaced populations in those countries, notably in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq, Egypt and Libya, _______________ 21 S/2014/348. 3/9