Brussels – The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria released a report Thursday on the events that took place in Syria’s coastal areas in March.
According to the report, the violence primarily targeting Alawite communities, may amount to war crimes. It cited killings, torture, inhumane treatment of the dead, widespread looting, and the burning of homes.
The violence displaced tens of thousands of civilians, with some atrocities filmed and shared on social media, including footage of civilians being abused and humiliated.
The Commission found that the violations were committed by members of the transitional government’s forces, civilians cooperating with them, and fighters loyal to the ousted regime, referred to as “remnants.”
Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, Chair of the Commission, said:
“The scale and brutality of the violence documented in our report is deeply disturbing. We call on the interim authorities to continue to pursue accountability for all perpetrators, regardless of affiliation or rank. While dozens of alleged perpetrators of violations have reportedly since been arrested, the scale of the violence documented in our report warrants expanding such efforts.”
The report documented a disturbing pattern in multiple locations: Alawite men were identified, separated from women and children, then taken outside to be shot and killed.
Bodies were left in the streets for days, families were prevented from burying them according to religious rites, and others were buried in mass graves without proper documentation. Hospitals became overwhelmed by the number of corpses, and medical facilities in Tartous and Latakia were already crippled from earlier attacks by regime remnants.
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The Commission noted that, in some cases, the transitional government forces tried to halt violations and evacuate civilians. However, certain factions recently integrated into government security forces carried out extrajudicial executions, torture, and systematic abuse of civilians in predominantly Alawite villages and neighbourhoods.
Its findings are based on over 200 interviews with victims and witnesses, conducted during unrestricted access to affected areas in June 2025, including visits to three mass grave sites.
The Commission remains concerned about ongoing violations, including abductions of women, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, looting, and property seizures. The violence has deepened sectarian divides and created a climate of fear nationwide.
Commissioner Lynn Welchman stressed:
“The affected communities need to see urgent action to increase their protection. Beyond referral of suspected perpetrators to criminal justice, individuals suspected of involvement in violations during the March events should be immediately removed from active duties pending investigation,”
An estimated 1,400 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the massacres, including around 100 women, elderly people, persons with disabilities, and children.
The Commission acknowledged the Syrian interim authorities’ commitment to identifying and prosecuting those responsible for the coastal atrocities.
Commissioner Hanny Megally described the recent report by Syria’s National Investigation Committee into the coastal violence as “an important step in the process of obtaining truth and justice for all Syrians.”
It is worth noting that the Syrian committee, established by President Ahmad Al-Sharaa, announced its findings on 22 July after more than three months of investigation. It confirmed 1,426 deaths, including 90 women and former military personnel who had reconciled with the government.
The committee identified 298 suspects linked to the atrocities, as well as 265 members of the deposed regime’s remnants who also committed violations. It inspected 33 sites, visited burial locations, and collected hundreds of witness statements.
Its report noted severe abuses against civilians on 7 and 8 March, implicating individuals and groups tied to armed factions. Many were referred for prosecution.
It concluded that while the violations were widespread, they were not centrally organized. Two lists of suspects have been sent to the public prosecutor. The committee emphasized that its conclusions were based on reasonable suspicion, not definitive proof, and urged measures to prevent incitement and sectarian tensions.
