IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1165 

Condemning the Assad regime and its backers for their continued support 

of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 30, 2018 

Mr. MAST submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Condemning the Assad regime and its backers for their continued support of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria. 

Whereas Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, with the support 

of Iran and the Russian Federation, has committed widespread atrocities against the people of Syria, leading to 

one of the worst humanitarian crises in over 70 years, including the deaths of more than 500,000 people, the destruction of more than 50 percent of Syria’s critical infrastructure, and the forced displacement of more than 

14 million people; 

Whereas the Assad regime, with the support of Iran and the 

Russian Federation, has conducted violent attacks 

against humanitarian aid workers, supplies, facilities, 

transports, and assets, and impeded the access and seVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:48 Nov 30, 2018 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR1165.IH HR1165

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•HRES 1165 IH 

cure movement of humanitarian personnel, and has used 

chemical weapons against the Syrian people on numerous 

occasions; 

Whereas since the introduction of Russian forces into Syria 

in September 2015, Russia has deployed over 68,000 

Russian personnel to help sustain the Assad regime, and 

has reportedly transferred the S–300 surface-to-air missile system to Syria, giving Russia, Iran, Hezbollah, and 

other Iranian-backed militias additional cover for their 

activities in Syria; 

Whereas Iran is estimated to have deployed over 3,000 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and regular 

Iranian military advisers to Syria and approximately 

20,000 militia fighters, including ’Asaib ahl al-Haqq, 

Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, Fatimeyoun, and 

Zainabiyoun, which continue to expand their presence in 

Syria; 

Whereas Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats has 

stated ‘‘it’s unlikely Russia has the will or capability to 

fully implement and counter Iranian decision and influence’’ in Syria; 

Whereas Iran’s positions in Syria, which Iran has used to 

launch rockets and drones toward Israel, are critical to 

Iran’s efforts to create a ‘‘land bridge’’ from Iran 

through Iraq and Syria to Lebanon so that it can arm 

Hezbollah in Lebanon with rockets and missiles, and increase the accuracy of Hezbollah’s munitions; 

Whereas Iranian-backed militias have demolished civilian 

areas, implemented sieges, and evicted civilian residents 

throughout Syria in a campaign of forced displacement, 

where Iranian-funded reconstruction plans to sell housing 


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•HRES 1165 IH 

developments to foreign militias risk establishing a permanent Iranian presence and obstacle for return of thousands of Syrian families who fled Syria; and 

Whereas the Syrian Government has reportedly signed agreements with Iran and IRGC controlled companies with respect to military cooperation: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports a political solution to the conflict 

3 which will result in the air space of Syria no longer 

4 being utilized by the Assad regime or Russia to tar5 get civilians, an end to the sieges carried out by 

6 Assad, Russia, Iran, Hezbollah, and other Iranian7 backed militias, and the release of all political pris8 oners; 

9 (2) opposes international reconstruction funds 

10 from supporting projects in Syria in areas controlled 

11 by the Assad regime as long as the Assad regime re12 mains in power; 

13 (3) condemns the Assad regime, the Govern14 ment of the Russian Federation, the Government of 

15 Iran, and Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed mili16 tias for their continued support of war crimes and 

17 crimes against humanity in Syria, including the 

18 widespread use of torture, summary executions, pro19 longed sieges, forced relocations, and indiscriminate 

20 targeting of civilians and humanitarian actors; 


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•HRES 1165 IH 

1 (4) recognizes that as long as the Assad regime 

2 remains in power, it will continue to oppress the 

3 Syrian people, the Russian Federation will continue 

4 to expand its influence in the Middle East, and Iran 

5 will remain entrenched in Syria; 

6 (5) calls upon the President and Secretary of 

7 State to work towards a sustainable political transi8 tion in Syria that results in a government in Syria 

9 that is not a danger to its own people, abandons its 

10 chemical weapons program, allows for the safe, dig11 nified, and voluntary return of displaced persons, 

12 and does not provide Iran with a platform to threat13 en Syria’s neighbors; 

14 (6) urges the President and the Secretary of 

15 State develop a strategy to prevent a permanent Ira16 nian presence in Syria, understanding that the Rus17 sia Federation has not proven to be a viable partner 

18 to help in this effort; 

19 (7) urges the Secretary of State to investigate 

20 and determine whether the forced displacement of 

21 Syrian civilians from their homes through brutal 

22 sieges, starvation, and indiscriminate targeting of ci23 vilians, and repopulation with foreign fighters con24 stitutes sectarian or ethnic cleansing; and 


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•HRES 1165 IH 

1 (8) calls on the President and Secretary of 

2 State to determine whether militias operating in 

3 Syria under the command of the Islamic Revolu4 tionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including Harakat 

5 Hezbollah al-Nujaba, Fatemiyoun, Zainabioun, and 

6 ’Asaib ahl al-Haq are terrorist organizations and 

7 meet the criteria for sanctions pursuant to Executive 

8 Order 13460 or 13582. 

Æ 


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