GENEVA - Syria's path to a successful and sustainable transition hinges on comprehensive accountability, inclusion, and guarantees of non-recurrence, the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria said today. The Commission commended the Syrian government and its people for significant achievements as the country nears the two-year anniversary of the fall of the former government, while noting the challenges inherent in building right-respecting institutions while simultaneously addressing the legacy of past atrocities and ensuring non-recurrence.
In an Oral Update to the Human Rights Council in Geneva (see the Oral Update and Accompanying Statement), the Commission stressed the importance of ensuring that all perpetrators of grave violations are equally the subject of accountability, warning that selective justice for international crimes is not compatible with international law, and further, could renew grievances and undermine reconciliation.
The Commission also highlighted significant human rights challenges facing the country, notably those resulting from Israeli military activity, insufficient accountability, fragile civic space, the political and economic legacy of the Syrian conflict, gender-based harms, the continued instability in Suwayda, and the post-conflict situation including detention in the northeast.
The Commission welcomed ongoing engagement with the Government, including access to Syrian territory and dialogue regarding key human rights concerns and the framework of transitional justice. It also highlighted its work with senior officials to channel potential situations of concern before they escalate.
Taking note of the initiation of a limited number of trials to date, the Commission urged enhanced accountability for recent violence, notably in the coast and western Syria in early 2025 and in Suwayda in July 2025, including in relation to missing persons.
"Comprehensively addressing not only past but also recent violence is an essential step for reconciliation, including from the violence on the coast and western Syria, in Suwayda, and following the January hostilities with the Syrian Democratic Forces, of which we note many hundreds of people are still reported missing," Commissioner Monia Ammar told the Council.
Reported deaths in detention, arrests of activists, persistent hate speech and online harassment, as well as threats of violence against women - particularly against female activists - are other issues of concern. Renewed violence in Suwayda in late August and the ongoing impasse regarding school examinations in the governorate were also addressed.
Israeli military activity on Syrian territory is increasingly sustained and entrenched, with ground incursions, patrols, raids and searches conducted routinely, causing displacements amongst residents. As of September, the Israel Defense Forces had detained 49 individuals, including two children, on Syrian territory, some of whom are held incommunicado and raising concerns of potential torture and ill-treatment.
"We are deeply alarmed by violations of human rights and international humanitarian law by Israel on Syrian territory, which may amount to war crimes," said Commissioner Fionnuala Ní Aoláin.
The situation in the northeast also came under scrutiny. The Commission noted Government efforts to mitigate violations during hostilities with the SDF in January 2026, but emphasised that it is investigating reports of serious violations both in Aleppo city and the northeast.
"We are also investigating reported violations by the SDF, including the alleged killing of detainees," Commissioner Ní Aoláin said.
The Commission highlighted the ongoing and worsening conditions of arbitrary detention for more than 2,000 people - mostly women and children allegedly related to Da'esh - held in Al Rawj camp, reiterating its call for the camp's immediate closure and repatriation of foreign nationals. The Commission recalled the lengthy history of international human rights and humanitarian law violations associated with the camps, including those that may amount to war crimes. The Commission also called attention to the more than 100 foreign children held in detention in the northeast, some of whom have been detained since 2019, recalling that detention of children must be a last resort and that children who may have been associated with armed groups must be rehabilitated and treated as victims.
The Commission also underscored its profound concerns about the mass forcible transfer to Iraq earlier this year of more than 5,700 men and boys, reportedly of more than 60 nationalities, including Syrians, by United States forces. The Commission is closely following ongoing developments and urges swift action to resolve this situation while respecting fundamental human rights.
The Council and the international community at large have a vital role in supporting Syria's momentum to increase and cement respect for human rights in a meaningful way, and in applying lessons learned from past transitions, including by placing greater emphasis on national reconciliation.
"Syria can fulfill the aspirations of its people if it manages to break the legacies of past violence and advances solid foundations to prevent recurrence based on respect for fundamental human rights," said Commissioner Ammar. "We are committed to accompanying Syria during its transition."
Background: The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic was established on 22 August 2011 by the UN Human Rights Council through resolution S-17/1. The mandate of the Commission is to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law since March 2011 in the Syrian Arab Republic. The Human Rights Council also tasked the Commission with establishing the facts and circumstances that may amount to such violations and of the crimes perpetrated and, where possible, to identify those responsible with a view of ensuring that perpetrators of violations, including those that may constitute crimes against humanity, are held accountable. The Human Rights Council has repeatedly extended the Commission's mandate since then, most recently until 31 March 2027.
