GRAPHIC VIDEO - Syrian rebel buried alive

A video has emerged from the Syrian  conflict that appears to show a man being buried alive. Two caveats. First, the authenticity of the video is disputable, and second, the content is gruesome. 

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LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - If the video's authenticity is verified, it will graphically demonstrate man's unending cruelty to his neighbor. The conflict in Syria in replete with abuses of human rights and examples of horrific tragedy abound regardless of the video's veracity. 

The video shows a civilian who has been buried in a pit up to his neck. Armed soldiers belonging to Assad's regime surround the victim. 

According to the video's subtitles, an officer asks, "What's he got? Did you find anything on this damn animal?"

The source describes the man as a civilian from Al-Qussair, which is a rebel-held city in western Syria. He was accused of carrying a camera with which he allegedly filmed and recorded Syrian security forces.  

After being insulted multiple times, the solders are ordered to bury the man. As dirt is shoveled over his head, he cries out, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah!"

The solders cruelly reply, "Say there is no god but Bashar, you animal."

The video ends with the man's head buried under a mound of dirt. 

The end of the clip contains a message calling the world to action. 

There are multiple reasons why an objective observer might cast doubt on the video. The original source for the footage also remains unknown. It does appear questionable that security forces would gruesomely murder a man for the crime of recording security force atrocities, and subsequently record an atrocity of their own.

While the video may be fake, it is still one of the most disturbing bits of media to emerge from the troubled region which has been racked by violence for over a year. If the video is verified as authentic, then it will be ironclad proof of the atrocities of Assad's regime. 

Meanwhile, despite a cease-fire agreement and the presence of UN observers, violence continues throughout the region. Both sides blame the other for violations of the cease-fire. 

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