A disturbing video has emerged online which appears to feature a well-known Syrian rebel fighter carving the heart out of a dead government soldier before eating it.
"I swear to God we will eat your hearts out, you soldiers of Bashar. You dogs. God is greater!" the man says. "Heroes of Baba Amr ... we will take out their hearts to eat them."
The video was released by a group supporting President Bashar al-Assad on Monday. They state that the act is a "crime that crosses all lines."
The central opposition alliance likewise reflected that it was "horrific and inhumane."
They spoke out against the video in a statement saying, "The Syrian Coalition strongly condemns this act, if it is revealed to be true."
"The coalition stresses that such an act contradicts the morals of the Syrian people, as well as the values and principles of the Free Syrian Army," they add.
The news has yet to be officially verified, but CNN spoke to a local rebel spokesman who confirmed that the act took place, and even spoke to the man in the video. The spokesman, Tariq al Sayed, stated that he is a friend of the man, and that the video was shot over two weeks ago in the aftermath of a battle in western Homs.
Even as a friend, Tariq al Sayed is also speaking out against the act.
"This was an isolated incident. [His] actions do not represent the FSA. His actions only represent himself," al Sayed stated. "This is not just a normal person who sits home. He has had two brothers killed. His mom and dad were detained, and the rest of his family displaced."
Al Sayed added that after viewing it, he asked his friend to take the video down.
The organization Human Rights Watch in particular has been adamant in its condemnation of the deed.
"It is not enough for Syria's opposition to condemn such behavior or blame it on violence by the government," said Nadim Houry, the Middle East deputy director at Human Rights Watch. "The opposition forces need to act firmly to stop such abuses."
The video can be viewed below, but it bears warning again that it is very graphic.
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