A United Nations investigation into recent military operations in Syria’s coastal region has concluded that government forces and allied militias committed “grave violations” of international law, some of which may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The report, released Thursday by the UN Human Rights Council’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, documents patterns of killings, arbitrary detention, torture, sexual violence, enforced disappearances, and indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas during the 2025 coastal offensive.
Investigators said they gathered extensive evidence, including witness testimonies, satellite imagery, and forensic analysis, showing that Syrian government troops and affiliated security agencies targeted civilians, opposition sympathisers, and perceived dissenters. Some abuses were also attributed to non-state armed groups operating in the area.
“The scale and severity of violations in the coastal region reflect a deliberate strategy to punish communities and consolidate control through fear,” said Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, Chair of the Commission. He warned that these actions “not only breach fundamental human rights but also constitute clear violations of the laws of armed conflict.”
The 100-page report details incidents in which civilians were summarily executed, families were separated during house raids, and detainees were subjected to beatings, electric shocks, and sexual assault in secret detention facilities. Investigators said such abuses were “systematic” and “coordinated” across multiple branches of the security apparatus.
End arbitrary detentions
The Commission urged the Syrian government to end arbitrary arrests, release unlawfully detained persons, and allow independent monitoring of detention sites. It also called for comprehensive institutional reforms to prevent future violations, including the restructuring of security forces and the judiciary.
While the Syrian government welcomed the report’s acknowledgment of its stated measures to protect civilians, it rejected the war crimes allegations as “politically motivated.”
The findings are likely to intensify international pressure on Damascus, which has faced growing calls for accountability since the fall of the Assad regime last year. Human rights groups have urged the UN Security Council to refer the situation to the International Criminal Court, though such a move faces political obstacles.
The coastal offensive, launched earlier this year, was aimed at regaining full control of key towns and transport routes. But the UN report suggests the campaign has left deep scars on the population, with thousands displaced, communities traumatised, and trust in state institutions shattered.
“Without justice and genuine reform, these wounds will fester,” Pinheiro said. “Accountability is not optional — it is essential for Syria’s future.”
Syrian Foreign Ministry Welcomes the Report
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani praised the report noting that it aligns with the findings of the independent National Fact-Finding Committee. In a statement issued by the Syrian Foreign Ministry, Al-Shaibani expressed appreciation for the efforts of the Commission’s chair, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, and his team, commending the cooperation between the international and national committees, which facilitated the exchange of expertise and ensured the independence of both institutions.
Al-Shaibani affirmed the Syrian government’s commitment to integrating the report’s recommendations into its efforts to build institutions and strengthen the rule of law. He highlighted Damascus’s unprecedented decision not to oppose the renewal of the Commission’s mandate at the Human Rights Council, which led to the resolution being adopted unanimously for the first time in modern Syrian history.
The minister noted that, in March, the International Commission of Inquiry gained unprecedented and unrestricted access to the violence-affected coastal regions. He emphasized that the Syrian government has taken the report’s allegations seriously, suspending several individuals in connection with these claims.
