UN Report: Transitional Government Forces commit systematic crimes against civilians on Syrian coast

The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria confirmed that the violence witnessed on the coast and west-central part of the country last March was "systematic and widespread," and attributed a significant portion of responsibility to elements of the transitional government forces, including newly integrated factions within its security apparatus.

The report explained that these forces, along with civilian personnel working with them, carried out extrajudicial executions, torture, and ill-treatment of civilians, particularly targeting villages and neighborhoods with an Alawite majority. Men were identified based on their sectarian affiliation before being separated from women and children and shot. Families of victims were prevented from burying them according to religious rites, and others were buried in mass graves without documentation.

The commission documented repeated patterns of targeting based on religion, age, and gender, as well as mass executions, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,400 people, most of whom were civilians, including women, children, the elderly, and the disabled. The report also documented widespread looting, burning, and occupation of homes, while abductions of women, arbitrary arrests, and enforced disappearances continued in some areas.

Commission Chair Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro called on the transitional government to "prosecute all perpetrators, regardless of their affiliation or rank," warning that the scale of the documented violations required expanded investigations and the immediate dismissal of suspects from service.

"Affected communities need urgent action to increase their protection," said Commissioner Lynn Welchman. "In addition to bringing suspects to criminal justice, individuals suspected of involvement in violations during the March events should be immediately removed from active service pending investigation. Screening processes should also be expanded to ensure that known or suspected perpetrators of past grave violations are not recruited into the ranks of the Interim Government's security forces."

The Commission warns that the continuation of these practices undermines trust among Syrian communities and fuels divisions, calling for an immediate cessation of violations and for ensuring access to humanitarian assistance and the protection of civilians without discrimination.

ANHA