2747 civilian victims recorded in Syria during 2023

Peace in Syria

For over a decade, Syria has consistently ranked as one of the ten least safe countries on the Global Peace Index. The decline in peace and safety within Syria is primarily attributed to the enduring twelve-year-long war. It originated from political and military conflicts, resulting in the emergence of multiple controlling powers and subsequent escalated clashes among them. In addition, the presence of Islamic State (ISIS) cells continues to pose a significant threat in the country.

Consequently, Syria has become a battleground for conflicting parties, with the involvement of foreign powers, leading to severe human rights violations against civilians, including women and children. These violations encompass deliberate killings, direct attacks, kidnappings, arbitrary detentions, and other inhumane acts.

Some of the conflicting parties have also armed civilians, forming armed groups loyal to them, further worsening the security crisis and spreading violence throughout Syria.

On the International Peace Day, which marks September 21 of every year, it is important to highlight the continuous state of low peace and its impact on the lives of Syrians.

This report by the Monitoring and Documentation Department of North Press Agency discusses the consequences of the lack of peace in Syria on civilians and their rights. It does so by providing the toll of civilian victims who have been killed and injured at the hands of conflicting parties in 2023, falling victim to the security breakdown and the proliferation of weapons among civilians. This toll is one of the key indicators pointing to the deterioration of the peace situation in Syria.

Since the beginning of 2023, the Monitoring and Documentation Department of North Press Agency has recorded the killing and injury of 2,747 civilians, including women and children. Among these, 1,490 were directly affected by the actions of conflicting parties. Around 478 people were killed, including 32 women and 42 children, and 1,012 were injured, including 98 women and 123 children.

The conflicting parties involved include Turkish forces, their affiliated factions of the Syrian National Army (SNA), and Syrian government forces. Among these parties, Turkish forces have caused the highest number of civilian victims, totaling 429. Among these victims, 79 were killed, including seven women and three children, while 350 were injured, including 43 women and 38 children. Syrian government forces rank second with 282 victims, of whom 89 civilians were killed, including five women and 11 children, and 193 were injured, including 21 women and 44 children. Following them are the SNA factions with 261 civilian victims, of whom 26 were killed, including three women and two children, and 235 were injured, including 15 women and 15 children, as a result of their actions.

In addition to its military and political repercussions, the increasing violations within Syria have had a direct and compounding impact on civilians due to the absence of oversight and laws and the spread of insecurity. This situation has led to devastating effects on the lives of Syrians, who are left without protection in the midst of war. It has resulted in significant losses in terms of lives, private property, and civil infrastructure, and it has transformed the humanitarian and living conditions in the country from bad to worse. Development plans have been decreased along with the crisis of displacement and migration in search of safety has worsened, creating a gap between civilians and their basic rights to secure shelter, food, healthcare, social justice, and economic stability. To sum it up, these consequences are caused by the absence of security and peace in Syria.

The security breakdown and the proliferation of weapons among civilians, contributed by the conflicting parties, have resulted in the killing and injuring of 1257 individuals since the beginning of the year. Among them, 637 people were killed, including 69 women and 58 children, while 620 others were injured, including 38 women and 49 children.

External interventions in Syria, such as the Iranian presence, which is considered legitimate due to an invitation by the Syrian government, have also contributed to the country’s insecurity and lack of peace. Iranian forces and their affiliated militias have been involved in violating international laws and human rights within Syrian territory. These violations include arbitrary arrests, extrajudicial killings, and the establishment of secret detention centers where egregious forms of torture take place, all happening amid silence by the Syrian government.

Additionally, the involvement of Russian forces in Syrian affairs, coupled with their collaboration in conducting airstrikes alongside government forces in northern Syria, has led to the loss of countless civilian lives and the injury of numerous others since the onset of the conflict. Similarly, Turkey, which has occupied large areas of northern Syria, established military bases, and interfered militarily, politically, and economically, has also committed violations against civilians. These violations include indiscriminate and illegitimate bombings, arbitrary arrests of civilians, and even targeting refugees attempting to cross the Syrian-Turkish border through indirect means.

Recommendations

• The aforementioned external parties should cease their unlawful attacks on civilians and infrastructure in northern Syria.
• Conflict parties and foreign forces present in Syria should stop the use of violence and ensure a permanent and sustainable ceasefire.
• Measures should be taken by conflict parties and foreign forces in Syria to protect civilians from harm. These include preventing the indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas and refraining from using weapons that impact civilians
• Conflict parties and foreign forces in Syria should provide humanitarian support to affected civilians and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to areas in need.
• The United Nations Security Council should refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court, impose sanctions on those involved in committing human rights violations, and put an end for impunity.
• The international community should contribute to enhancing negotiation and political dialogue efforts among the relevant parties to achieve a permanent and comprehensive political settlement.
• Diplomatic and humanitarian efforts should be increased to assist Syrians in building a secure and sustainable future.