Breaking News - Syria rebels accused of church, mosque attacks

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Yazan Homsy / Reuters fileA church in Homs was heavily damaged in fighting, as seen here in December. It is unclear whether the damage was caused by Syrian government or opposition forces.By John Newland, Staff Writer, NBC NewsArmed opposition groups in Syria appear to have looted Christian churches and destroyed a Shiite Muslim mosquee in recent months, New York-based Human Rights Watch said Wednesday.

The rights group said it had previously documented the destruction of a Sunni mosque in Taftanaz by government troops fighting for President Bashar Assad.

The war has already killed more than 60,000 Syrians, according to U.N. estimates.

Human Rights Watch warned an increase in sectarian violence can only make things worse.

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"The destruction of religious sites is furthering sectarian fears and compounding the tragedies of the country," Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director for Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.

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