Geneva (ENInews)–A growing number of people in the escalating violence in Syria appear to be targeted because of their religion and “gross violations of human rights are occurring regularly,” a U.N. monitor said on 27 June. The 16-month-old conflict between insurgents and forces defending President Bashar al-Assad’s government is also becoming “increasingly militarized,” said Paulo Pinheiro, chair of the Independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria, in a report presented to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva. An estimated 15,000 people have been killed in the conflict. [406 ENI-12-0375]