The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights blamed on Monday both sides in the Syrian conflict for human rights violations and said that justice would eventually catch up with them.
Addressing the 47-member U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, Navi Pillay reiterated that the Syrian government's actions might amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
"The use of heavy weapons by the government and the shelling of populated areas have resulted in high numbers of civilian casualties, mass displacement of civilians inside and outside the country and a devastating humanitarian crisis," she said.
"I am equally concerned about violations by anti-government forces, including murder, extrajudicial execution and torture, as well as the recently increased use of improvised explosive devices," she added.
Both government forces and militants had also deployed snipers who targeted civilians, she said.
Pillay, a former U.N. war crimes judge, has repeatedly called for Syria to be referred to the International Criminal Court, but such a referral can only be effected by the U.N. Security Council, which is split on how to deal with Syria.