Syria Notes

Aid cuts hit Syrian independent media just as they are most needed We talk to Ahmad Primo of Verify Syria, Yara Bader of Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression, Kholoud Helmi of Enab Baladi, Camilla Bruun Randrup of International Media Support. syrianotes.org/2025/05/freedo…

#Syria: according to Thawra, quoting a military source, a shipment of weapons (rockets & grenades visible) reportedly coming from #SDF-held area and heading to #Suwayda was seized. First photo shows Safa volcanic field, NE. of Suwayda. Source: facebook.com/thawra.sy/post…

Syrian civil society orgs urge @SyPresidency to publicly release full report of Fact Finding Committee and to provide full clarity on the follow-up steps that the government will take to implement recommendations outlined by the Committee - calling for accountability and reform

Summary report and public briefing by #Syrian fact-finding committee on coastal violence is positive first step in process of obtaining truth & justice for all Syrians. @UNCoISyria urges prompt release of report, full implementation of its recommendations & human rights-compliant…

C'est un druze qui a sauvé sa famille et lui, en les cachant, jusqu'à l'arrivée des combattants des tribus dans la zone. « SVP, dites au monde que tous les druzes sont bons, mais qu’une partie seulement veut maintenir ce chaos » 4/5

Hamid* a reçu un appel d’un docteur de Chahba l’implorant de ne pas « trop enjoliver » ce qui s’y était passé. « Je lui ai dit que tout ce que j’avais vu, je le raconterai tel quel. Les exécutions arbitraires, les corps par terre, les maisons brûlées. Je n’invente rien »3/5

Près d’un millier d’Arabes sunnites ont été séquestrés dans la mosquée de Chahba jeudi 17 juillet, jusqu’à leur libération dimanche à la suite d’un échange avec le camp opposé. 256 déplacés sont désormais hébergés dans la petite école de Jbab. 2/5

🔴Samah, 1 an et demi, est arrivée hier avec sa famille à l'école d'al-Mismiya (Deraa), désormais refuge pour les bédouins ayant fui la province de Soueida. Elle a la main brûlée après que des combattants druzes ont incendié leur tente... 1/5

A Long but Very Important Post: Three days of delaying discussions on accountability were enough to turn the situation into something reminiscent of the darkest periods of the Bosnian War. In just three days, we witnessed heinous crimes and inhumane atrocities beyond…

Key points made by @verobellin re #Sweida violence and MoD announcement of investigative body👇🏼

How Aleppo fell: Iran’s defence of the city faltered when a most trusted brigade defected If Hezbollah was long considered the crown jewel of Iran’s Axis of Resistance in the Middle East, then the Baqir Brigade held that distinction in Syria. Formed in 2012 in Aleppo province,…

Rows of white body bags lined up outside Suweida hospital. Most of the dead are unidentified and will be buried in a mass grave near the hospital in the hope that a full investigation will be made later, @AlexCrawfordSky reports. news.sky.com/story/rows-of-…

6. It is not enough to create a body. International legal standards re accountability and guarantees of non recurrence not satisfied by the mere existence of an investigative mechanism. It is satisfied by its effectiveness and capacity to lead to accountability and reform.

5. Transparency is key: good for MoD to commit to public reporting of misconduct and outcomes of investigations. Information should include also disclosure on reform and circumstances that led to abuses, especially if army personnel responsible for abuses x.com/Sy_Defense/sta…

4. MoD should not investigate only selected cases of misconduct at its discretion but ALL alleged cases - this means MoD should investigate on its own initiative + there must be accessible & confidential & safe channels for reporting for victims, CSOs + whistle-blower protection

3. MoD has duty to report and investigate reported unlawful conduct - however, criminal prosecutions should only occur within civil courts as Syrian military courts do not meet the most basic standards of fair trial guarantees and fair administration of justice

2. . Perpetrators should be punished. This means no immunities, no prosecution before military courts (no jurisdiction of military courts for IL violations ) & sanctions in accordance with gravity of crimes (no symbolic or token disciplinary sanctions). x.com/Sy_Defense/sta…

1. Effective investigations can not occur without structural & institutional independence from chain of command of alleged perpetrators. MoD announces that Minister will oversee investigations: any role for civilian oversight or independent review? x.com/Sy_Defense/sta…

MoD announces the establishment of a Military Investigations Committee to investigate reports of violations by unidentified individuals in Sweida - good step 👏. However, not enough to create body and call it accountability, compliance with clear IL standards are needed

#Syria: several hundreds of people were evacuated tonight from the city of #Suwayda including Christians, UN staff and their relatives, as well as a number of foreign citizens. The total number of people evacuated remains unknown.

Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra is directly overseeing the investigation into military abuses in Suwayda, vowing zero tolerance even for Defense Ministry members. All those seen in the shocking footage will be investigated, with findings to follow.