501 individuals killed, injured in Syria in January 2024
Introduction
This report highlights the most significant human rights violations that have been documented in the database of the Monitoring and Documentation Department of the North Press Agency for the month of January 2024.
The data primarily relies on information obtained directly by a network of field sources across Syria.
Toll of victims
In January, the department recorded 501 casualties, both civilians and military personnel, of which 225 individuals were killed and 276 were injured by various parties to the conflict in Syria.
19 children and 10 women were among the 75 civilian casualties in Syria during January.
The Syrian government is the primary party responsible for the casualties.
The highest number of civilian casualties was recorded in the northern countryside of Aleppo.
As for military casualties, the total number amounted to 327, with 150 killed and 177 injured. The casualties are distributed among the controlling powers in Syria.
The toll of casualties caused by remnants of war amounted to 23 individuals, with 11 killed and 12 injured.
Parties of the conflict
46 locations in the government-held areas were targeted by 68 airstrikes, resulting in 50 civilians and military casualties, with 41 killed and nine injured.
In January, there was a significant escalation of Jordanian airstrikes on residential areas in southern Syria, resulting in the killing of 14 civilians, including six men, six women, and two girls.
Israeli airstrikes also resumed, resulting in the killing of 21 individuals, including one civilian and 20 military personnel. Among the casualties were eight militants from the Lebanese Hezbollah, six militants from Iranian-backed militias, and six soldiers of the government forces.
A total of 190 sites in areas held by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were subjected to 234 airstrikes, resulting in 18 casualties including civilians and military personnel. One person was killed, and 17 others were injured.
Turkish airstrikes killed one SDF fighter and injured three others. Additionally, 12 civilians, including six men, three women, and three children, were injured. Furthermore, two SDF soldiers were injured as a result of shelling by unknown assailants.
Turkey also destroyed power sources and energy facilities, resulting in a widespread electricity outage, prices hike, and shortage of both fuel and domestic gas.
Areas affiliated with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly al-Nusra Front) were targeted by airstrikes carried out by government forces.
The SDF targeted Turkish bases within Syrian territory and the locations of the Syrian armed opposition factions known as Syrian National Army (SNA).
The government forces’ bombardment resulted in the killing of 10 civilians, including eight men and two children, and injured 27 individuals, including nine men, five women, 11 children, and two HTS militants.
The department reported the arrest of 264 individuals in Syria by various conflicting parties, legal arrest warrants were not issued against the majority of them.
HTS accused the arrestees of collaborating with the government and Russian forces, while the SNA accused those arrested by its factions of dealing with the SDF.
The security forces affiliated with the SDF charged those they detained with ISIS affiliation, while the charges against individuals detained by Syrian government forces remain unknown.
Turkish intelligence arrested 32 individuals, including 24 men, seven women, and one military personnel, on charges of dealing with the SDF and threatening Turkish national security. 28 of them were transferred to prisons within Turkish territory.
ISIS activity
ISIS activities in Syria have escalated from 16 attacks in November 2023 to 59 in January 2024, with a total of 44 attacks claimed by the group.
The majority of these attacks were concentrated in the eastern part of the country, with 38 attacks in Deir ez-Zor, nine in Homs, five in Hasakah, three in Raqqa, three in Manbij, and one in Daraa.
ISIS activities in Syria led to the killing of 87 individuals, including seven civilians, and the injury of 127 individuals, including three civilians.
Many parties conducted 10 security operations against ISIS.
