Damascus - The revealed in its latest report, released today, that 2818 individuals were killed in Syria in the first half of 2025, including 201 children, and 194 women, as well as 17 victims of death due to torture. SNHR also recorded the death of 140 civilians, including 10 children, 15 women, and one victim of death due to torture, in June 2025.

The report provides a summary of the that occurred in the first half of 2025 as well as the month of June, shedding light particularly on victims who died due to torture, as well as documenting the massacres perpetrated by the parties to the conflict and controlling forces in Syria during this period. The report also outlines the action taken by SNHR regarding the issue of .

This report draws upon the SNHR team’s of news and developments in Syria, and on information supplied by our extensive network of dozens of varied sources, as well as on

The fatalities documented in this report are limited to the deaths that have been documented in the first half of 2025, including June 2025. Some of these deaths may have taken place months or years previously and only been documented in this period, in which case these monthly reports list the date on which the death was officially documented, as well as the estimated date of death. The report also takes into consideration the effects of the historic events of December 8, 2024, and the fall of the Assad regime on areas of control and power in Syria.

Despite the Assad regime’s downfall, fatalities are still being documented at its hands in various forms, including killings by pro-Assad militias, the explosion of war remnant and cluster bomblets left by previous attacks carried by Assad regime forces, deaths resulting from landmines previously planted by Assad regime forces, and civilians dying of wounds sustained in attacks carried out by those forces.

The report documented the killing of 2,818 individuals, including 201 children and 194 women, in the first half of 2025. Of these, 50 civilians, including 2 children and 2 women, were killed by the transitional government forces, and 8 civilians, including 5 children and 1 woman, were killed by the Assad regime forces. It also documented the killing of 40 civilians, including 11 children and 9 women, by the Syrian Democratic Forces. The Syrian National Army also killed 5 civilians, including 2 children and 1 woman. It also documented the killing of 1,217 people, including 51 children and 63 women, by armed forces participating in the military operations in the coast ( in March). The report also documented the killing of 445 people, including 9 children and 21 women, by non-state armed groups affiliated with the Assad regime, and the killing of one child by the US-led international coalition. It also documented the killing of 27 civilians, including 1 woman, by Israeli forces. The report also documented the killing of five civilians at the hands of the Lebanese Hezbollah militia. The report also recorded the killing of 1,020 civilians, including 120 children and 96 women, at the hands of parties we were unable to identify.

The report indicated that Latakia Governorate accounted for approximately 22% of the total number of victims, followed by Tartous Governorate with approximately 13%, most of whom were killed by the parties involved in the coastal operation.

The report also documented the deaths of 17 people under torture in the first half of 2025, including one at the hands of Bashar al-Assad's regime forces, 10 at the hands of the transitional government, and five at the hands of the Syrian Democratic Forces. It also documented the deaths of one person under torture at the hands of the Syrian National Army.

The report documented the killing of 41 medical personnel in the first half of 2025, one of whom was killed by non-state armed groups affiliated with the Assad regime, 32 by forces participating in the military operations in the coastal region in March, three by gunfire from unidentified parties, three by Turkish forces, and two by unidentified parties. The report also documented the killing of two media personnel, one by gunfire from an unidentified source, and one by unidentified parties. The report documented the killing of four civil defense personnel, three by landmine explosions, and one by gunfire from unidentified parties. The report also documented 73 massacres in the first half of 2025 at the hands of parties to the conflict and controlling forces.

According to the report, the Syrian Network for Human Rights recorded at least 50 attacks on vital civilian facilities in the first half of 2025. Aleppo Governorate was the most affected, recording 18 incidents, followed by Latakia Governorate with 8 incidents. Among these attacks, we documented 3 attacks on educational facilities (schools), 8 on medical facilities, and 7 on places of worship (mosques and churches).

The report recorded the death toll for June 2025, as the Syrian Network for Human Rights documented the killing of 140 civilians, including 10 children and 15 women, at the hands of the parties to the conflict and the controlling forces in Syria. Seven civilians, including two women, were killed by the Transitional Government forces, one civilian by the Syrian Democratic Forces, and two civilians by Israeli forces. It also recorded the killing of 130 civilians, including 10 children and 13 women, at the hands of parties we were unable to identify.

The report recorded the killing of 1 person due to torture in June by the transitional government.

The report also documented the killing of one medical worker (a woman) by gunfire from unidentified parties. The report also recorded two massacres in June: one by gunfire from unidentified parties, and one by bombings whose perpetrators we were unable to identify. The report documented five attacks on vital civilian facilities, concentrated in the governorates of Damascus, Homs, Latakia, Quneitra, and As-Suwayda. Among these attacks, we documented one attack on an educational facility (school), and two on places of worship.

The report indicated that the Syrian Network for Human Rights documented the killing of 22 civilians in June 2025 after their bodies were found in locations suspected of being used as mass graves or hiding places for victims' bodies, such as water wells or abandoned buildings. Initial information indicates that these crimes occurred prior to the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime on December 8, 2024, and date back to various phases of the armed conflict in Syria.

Finally, the report outlined a number of conclusions and recommendations

The evidence collected by indicates that most of the attacks documented in this report were deliberately directed against civilians, including the destruction of civilian facilities.

2. A large proportion of the Syrians killed in February died as a result of landmine explosions, with none of the perpetrator forces involved in the Syrian conflict, past or present, issuing maps revealing the locations where landmines have been planted. This indicates a chilling total by all parties to the lives of civilians, particularly children.

3. The indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks carried out by the SDF are clearly violations of international humanitarian law, with the crimes of indiscriminate killing amounting to .

4. The use of remote bombings to target densely populated areas reflects a criminal mindset intent on deliberately inflicting the greatest possible number of deaths, which is a clear contravention of international human rights law and a flagrant violation of the on Civilians of 1949, Articles 27, 31, and 32.

5. Turkish forces have failed to respect the principle of proportionality, as prescribed in international law, in their attacks on SDF sites, which resulted in civilian casualties. Meanwhile, the SDF has violated international humanitarian law by stationing its personnel in civilian areas.

6.

Despite the downfall of the Assad regime, killings and armed attacks continue. This indicates that the transitional phase has yet to establish security and stability, underlining the imperative need for reforming and restructuring the security apparatus into a human rights-based, effective entity.

April 2025 witnessed patterns of killings related to the misuse of weapons and drowning incidents resulting from migration. These reflect post-conflict challenges that require a different type of response, one that goes beyond documentation of violations to include prevention and community education.

These recommendations represent a practical roadmap for addressing the consequences of extrajudicial killings in Syria. They contribute to advancing the path of transitional justice, building institutions that respect human dignity and rights, and preventing the recurrence of violations.

Issue official invitations to independent UN and international mechanisms, including:

International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM)

Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic

International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP).

International Red Cross, Human Rights Watch (HRW), and Amnesty International.

Enable these organizations to have unrestricted access to detention centers and crime scenes.

Take urgent measures to safeguard evidence, including documenting mass graves and detention facilities and preventing any tampering or trespassing.

Register and clearly mark important sites to ensure they can serve as legal evidence in the future.

Collect evidence on violations, including official records and crime sites.

Ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and grant the court retroactive jurisdiction.

Adopt comprehensive transitional justice policies, including holding perpetrators accountable, compensating victims, and ensuring transparency and credibility.

Ensure the safety of civilians and minorities and protect their fundamental rights to live securely.

Prioritize the removal of mines and remnants of war, allocate the necessary funding, and raise awareness of related risks.

Protect cultural and heritage sites from looting or destruction.

Build an inclusive governance structure representing all components of Syrian society, including women and minorities, as well as civil society organizations.

Document and safeguard abandoned properties to ensure that their rightful owners receive compensation in the future.

Improve essential services and ensure they’re accessible to all citizens, including those with disabilities.

Ensure respect for fundamental rights and freedoms for all without discrimination.

Reform the judiciary and security apparatus in accordance with international human rights standards.

Provide psychological and social support to families of missing persons and conflict victims.

Develop comprehensive programs for the rehabilitation of survivors and released detainees.

Refer the Syrian dossier to the ICC or establish a special tribunal to prosecute those involved in war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Pressure international actors, including the Russian government, to hand over individuals responsible for crimes, including Bashar Assad and his family, to international courts.

Work on freezing the financial assets of the former Assad regime and its affiliates and allocate them to support transitional justice efforts and humanitarian aid, as well as for the victims and their families.

Urge UN agencies to intensify the delivery of humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, in affected areas and internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.

Ensure humanitarian aid reaches northeastern Syria, in coordination with local authorities, to meet the needs of IDPs and facilities detaining individuals accused of formerly belonging to or being affiliated with ISIS.

Guarantee that aid provided to the current or future government promotes respect for human rights and creates conditions for free and fair elections.

Allocate funding from the UN fund to support landmine removal efforts in affected areas to reduce long-term risks and ensure a safe environment for civilians.

Provide resources to strengthen the efforts of the ICMP, including training local staff and using advanced technologies to identify missing persons.

Support initiatives contributing to national reconciliation and offer psychological and social support to families of missing persons.

Review economic sanctions imposed on Syria to ensure they do not adversely affect humanitarian operations while maintaining sanctions targeting designated terrorist groups.

Urge host countries to refrain from forcibly deporting refugees or pressuring them to return.

Work to create conditions within Syria for the safe, voluntary, and dignified return of refugees in accordance with international standards, prioritizing infrastructure improvement and security stability.

1. Submit reports to the and the UN on documented violations in this and previous reports, highlighting that on in Syria.

1. Open comprehensive investigations into the violations mentioned in this and previous reports. SNHR is willing to collaborate in such endeavors and share more evidence.

2. Work to responsible for war crimes and publish their names to expose them internationally and halt political and economic dealings with them.

1. Collect of the crimes documented in this report and with Syrian organizations working on documentation and data collection.

1. Establish an internal committee to investigate committed by the SDF, hold those responsible accountable, and compensate the victims.

2. Refrain from positioning military forces in civilian areas, which poses a threat to their lives.

3. Provide maps indicating the planted by SDF personnel in civilian areas.

1. in all areas under their control.

2. Launch investigations into human rights violations, hold perpetrators accountable, and disclose the investigation results to the local community.

3. Provide maps indicating the locations of landmines planted by the factions in civilian areas.

Turkish forces

Launch investigations into the incidents documented in this report, compensate the victims, and respect the principles of international law, particularly the principles of distinction and proportionality.

Humanitarian organizations

1. Develop urgent plans to provide decent shelter for IDPs, particularly widows and orphans.

2. Intensify efforts to remove landmines alongside relief operations.

3. Equip vital facilities, such as medical facilities and schools, with ambulances marked with clear, recognizable signs visible from long distances.