Rights groups demand accountability for Syria’s March atrocities
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Human Rights Watch (HRW), Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ), and Syrian Archive said on Tuesday that the Syrian transitional government has failed to provide transparency or ensure accountability for senior officials implicated in widespread atrocities committed in March 2025.
In a 51-page joint report, “Are you Alawi? Identity-Based Killings During Syria’s Transition,” the groups documented mass killings, summary executions, and identity-based abuses carried out during government security operations in three governorates.
The report found that these crimes unfolded as part of a centrally coordinated military campaign directed by the Defense Ministry, even after the killings became public.
The violence was triggered on March 6 by attacks that killed at least 200 government personnel, reportedly by loyalists of former President Bashar al-Assad.
Government forces responded with large-scale sweep operations across more than 24 towns and villages, during which Alawi civilians were specifically targeted. At least 1,426 people were killed, according to an official inquiry, which referred 298 suspects to prosecutors.
Witnesses described summary executions, home raids, looting, and arson. One woman from Brabshbo, Latakia, said armed men entered her home on March 8, asked about her family’s sect, and shot her husband after learning he was Alawi. Fighters told investigators that people were executed “just because they were Alawi,” the report noted.
The rights groups indicated that while the government’s National Committee for Investigation acknowledged mass atrocities, it framed the attacks as acts of personal revenge and avoided examining the role of senior military and civilian leaders.
HRW researcher Hiba Zayadin warned that “failing to hold accountable commanders and officials responsible for deploying and directing abusive forces leaves the door open to further reprisals and atrocities in Syria.”
The rights groups urged Syrian authorities to release the full investigative report, protect witnesses, and ensure that judicial proceedings address institutional responsibility.
They also called for structural reforms, including vetting fighters, enforcing clear command structures, and cooperating with international accountability mechanisms.
“This is not about a single week in March,” said Jelnar Ahmad, program manager at Syrian Archive. “It is an indicator of a broader pattern that needs to be addressed structurally and transparently.”