According to the Local Coordination Committees in Syria, the death toll on Wednesday rose to 30 people. This toll includes two people killed when the regime's security force stormed into the University of Aleppo. Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch accused the Syrian regime's forces of committing war crimes in the province of Idlib.
The security forces fired tear gas to disperse a demonstration started at the University of Aleppo, to demand the departure of the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. A women's demonstration was also held in Homs to demand the removal of the regime, as well as in the Maydan neighborhood of Damascus, in a show of solidarity with cities that are under attacks by the government forces.
Several areas in Syria on Wednesday saw an escalation of military operations and clashes between the army and Syrian dissidents. The regime forces suffered the largest losses since the ceasefire came into effect before three weeks.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, clashes and military operations killed 22 soldiers, three dissidents and three civilians in various parts of the country. In the Aleppo countryside 15 members of the Syrian security forces, including two senior colonels, were killed following an ambush on their convoy. In the Damascus suburb of Harasta, clashes between the regime forces and defectors resulted in the death of six soldiers.
Human Rights Watch accused the Syrian regime's forces of committing war crimes in the province of Idleb. HRW said that the troops executed at least 95 civilians and demolished hundreds of homes during the first half of April. HRW said in a report based on field investigations that the regime forces executed 35 civilians who were detained, and that most of the executions took place during the attack on the town Fnaz. Government forces did not distinguish between civilians and combatants, and did not take the necessary precautions to protect civilians, the report said, adding the army provided no warning to residents about the attacks.
