The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) documented 127 cases of arbitrary arrest across Syria during September, including the detention of six children and four women. In a report released this month the organization attributed 11 of those arrests to government security forces while the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were accountable for 68 detentions, including six children and three women, which were carried out in areas under SDF control.
Deir Ezzor saw the highest number of arrests, followed by Aleppo, Raqqa and Hasakah, according to the report. SNHR said the SDF continues to detain civilians for expressing criticism of its administration, and that “the number of detentions exceeds the number of releases,” particularly in eastern Syria.
The group also reported that the Internal Security Forces conducted raids across several provinces—Latakia, Tartous, Homs, Hama, Aleppo, Damascus and Idlib—targeting at least 48 individuals accused of committing violations during the rule of the former Assad government. Detainees included ex-military and government personnel, and authorities reportedly seized weapons and ammunition during the operations.
SNHR documented 16 releases during September, mostly from detention centers in Hama, Homs and the Damascus countryside. Those freed were among individuals initially detained as part of the accountability process but later cleared of wrongdoing after investigations concluded.
SNHR Marks Decade of Russian Intervention
In a separate report marking the 10th anniversary of Russia’s military intervention in Syria, the SNHR accused Moscow of direct responsibility for thousands of civilian deaths and systematic human rights violations since September 2015. The organization called on Russia to issue an official apology, compensate victims and extradite Bashar al-Assad, who fled to Russia following his regime’s collapse in December 2024.
The report documented the deaths of 6,993 civilians attributed to Russian forces over the past nine years, including 2,061 children and 984 women. SNHR said that “the high proportion of women and children among the victims reflects repeated targeting of populated areas,” describing it as a “clear breach of international humanitarian law.”
According to the report, Russian forces were responsible for at least 363 massacres, the killings of 70 medical personnel and 24 journalists, and 1,262 attacks on civilian infrastructure. These included 224 schools, 217 medical facilities and 61 marketplaces. Aleppo, Idlib and Deir Ezzor recorded the highest casualty rates, with Idlib suffering the most attacks on vital facilities.
SNHR said Moscow’s intervention marked a “turning point” in the conflict by decisively backing Assad militarily and politically, enabling his forces to retake major cities such as Aleppo and Daraa. The report also noted Russia’s use of its UN Security Council veto 18 times—14 of them after its intervention—to block efforts to hold Syrian officials accountable.
The organization concluded that Russia’s actions amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, urging the international community to withhold normalization with Moscow until accountability mechanisms are implemented and victims’ rights are upheld.
