The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic has released a report on 27 March 2025 detailing extreme violence in Suwayda, Syria, in July 2025, which resulted in more than 1,700 deaths and the displacement of nearly 200,000 people.
Based on 409 first-hand accounts and field visits facilitated by the Syrian government, the report documents potential war crimes and crimes against humanity, including executions, torture and gender-based violence.
Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, Chair of the Commission, said: “The scale and brutality of the violence and violations documented in Suwayda are deeply distressing.”
He added that there are “expanded efforts to pursue accountability for all perpetrators, regardless of affiliation or rank.”
The escalation, triggered by intercommunal tensions and exacerbated by Israeli military intervention, occurred in three distinct phases:
First wave (14–16 July 2025): Government forces and tribal fighters targeted Druze communities in western Suwayda and Suwayda city. This involved the systematic separation and execution of men, alongside arbitrary detention and pillage.
Second wave (17 July 2025): Following a government withdrawal prompted by Israeli airstrikes, Druze armed groups retaliated against the Bedouin community, committing murder and torture that led to the near-total forced displacement of the local Bedouin population.
Third wave (17–19 July 2025): Tribal fighters launched a retaliatory assault on 35 Druze-majority or mixed villages. This was the most destructive phase, involving the burning of tens of thousands of homes, businesses and religious sites. The report also states that some government forces members removed their uniforms and joined the attacks.
The Commission confirmed at least 1,707 total fatalities with the following breakdown:
While most of the hundreds abducted have been released, approximately 100 Druze, 20 Bedouin and 30 government personnel remain missing. Sexual violence, including rape, was reported in both communities and remains under investigation.
Currently, around 155,000 displaced people - mostly Druze from destroyed villages, along with nearly the entire Bedouin population - are unable to return home.
Commission Chair Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro emphasised the urgent need for accountability to rebuild trust. While the Syrian government has detained 23 security and army personnel following a national inquiry, the Commission is calling for further investigations into command responsibility.
The report also highlights that Israeli intervention and the spread of online misinformation - including fabricated claims of harm to infants circulated by Israeli officials - deepened sectarian divisions and incited further hatred.
The Commission urges all parties, including Druze armed groups and external actors such as Israel, to uphold international law, halt destabilising actions and support reconciliation efforts.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he sees progress between Israel and Lebanon after talks with Netanyahu, while Hezbollah has rejected a new ceasefire ...
Azerbaijan has strongly rejected allegations published by CNN claiming that its territory was used for Israeli military and intelligence operations ag...
Azerbaijan is once again at the centre of global climate diplomacy, hosting World Environment Day 2026 and bringing together international leaders, po...
The Eighth Global Environment Facility (GEF) Assembly has concluded in Samarkand, bringing together representatives from 186 countries to set environm...
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted Nigerien President Abdourahamane Tchiani in Ankara on Thursday, underscoring Türkiye’s growing engag...
The United States has confirmed that a meeting between Syrian and Israeli representatives in Paris resulted in progress towards de-escalation, following recent tensions in southern Syria.
A fragile ceasefire has been declared in southern Syria’s Suwayda province on Saturday, following intense fighting that left hundreds dead.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said in a statement that its Aerospace Force did not strike the Kuwait Airport passenger terminal on Wednesday, and that the destruction was instead caused by a failed U.S. Patriot missile.
Five Azerbaijani citizens have been killed and three others injured following drone attacks on two cargo vessels in the Sea of Azov, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
Azerbaijan has strongly rejected allegations published by CNN claiming that its territory was used for Israeli military and intelligence operations against Iran, describing the report as entirely baseless and demanding a retraction.
As Armenia heads toward parliamentary elections on 7 June, the country's relationship with Azerbaijan is emerging as one of the defining issues of the campaign, with analysts and international observers highlighting the role of regional politics in shaping voters’ mindsets.
Armenia will hold parliamentary elections on 7 June 2026, a vote that will shape the country’s political direction for the next five years. Understanding how the electoral system converts votes into parliamentary power is key to following the outcome and its wider regional implications.
People across Gaza are facing a worsening humanitarian crisis, with millions struggling to access food, clean water, shelter and medical care as the conflict continues.
The next time a goal goes in during a Champions League final, fans around the world could watch it from every angle at once — frozen, rotated and replayed in ways that were impossible only a few years ago.
An ageing, poorly insured shadow armada now accounts for around one-sixth of the world's tanker fleet. Hidden by design and fraught with risk, it operates beyond conventional oversight. A maritime law expert explains how it works, who profits, and why much of the world looks the other way.
Azerbaijan has strongly rejected allegations published by CNN claiming that its territory was used for Israeli military and intelligence operations against Iran, describing the report as entirely baseless and demanding a retraction.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted Nigerien President Abdourahamane Tchiani in Ankara on Thursday, underscoring Türkiye’s growing engagement with Africa’s Sahel region as geopolitical alliances continue to shift.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment