The Death of 73 Civilians Including 12 Children and Six Women, and Two Deaths due to Torture Recorded in November 2025 in Syria

Monthly Report On Extrajudicial Killings in Syria

Available in:

• English
• العربية

Press release:

Damascus – The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) revealed in its latest report, released today, 73 civilians were killed in Syria in November 2025, including 12 children, six women, and two individuals killed due to torture.

The 12-page report provides a summary of the deaths that occurred in November 2025, in addition to the victims who died due to torture, medical personnel, and the toll of massacres committed by the parties to the conflict, the report also addressed the work undertaken by SNHR in documenting extrajudicial killings.

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

The fatalities documented in this report are limited to the deaths that have been documented in the month of November. 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 73 civilians, including 12 children and 6 women (adult female), and 2 people due to torture in November 2025, including 3 children as a result of cluster munition explosions by Bashar al-Assad regime forces. It also recorded the killing of 2 people due to torture by the Syrian Democratic Forces. The report also recorded the killing of 68 civilians, including 9 children and 6 women, in addition to 1 massacre by parties we were unable to identify.

The report indicated that Hama Governorate topped the list with 20%, followed by Homs Governorate with 16%. Most of the victims in the two governorates were documented as having been killed by parties we were unable to identify.

Finally, the report outlined a number of conclusions and recommendations:

Conclusions

1. Attacks against civilians and civilian objects: Evidence gathered by the Syrian Network for Human Rights indicates that the majority of attacks directly targeted civilians, including the destruction of civilian facilities.

2. Landmines: A large number of Syrians have been killed by landmines, and none of the forces involved in the conflict have provided maps showing where they were planted. This demonstrates a disregard for civilian lives, especially children.

3. Indiscriminate shelling by the Syrian Democratic Forces: The indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks carried out by the Syrian Democratic Forces constitute a clear violation of international humanitarian law and amount to war crimes.

4. Remote bombings: The use of remote bombings to target densely populated residential areas demonstrates a premeditated intent to kill as many civilians as possible and is a clear violation of international human rights law and the Fourth Geneva Convention (Articles 27, 31, 32).

5. During its attacks on the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) positions, the Turkish forces did not observe the principle of proportionality in international law, resulting in civilian casualties. The SDF also violated international humanitarian law by being stationed in civilian areas.

6. Despite the efforts made during the transitional phase, significant gaps remain in the protection of civilians, particularly in areas of tension and military operations. This deficiency, if it persists, violates legal obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and necessitates strengthening preventive measures and effective responses, especially for the protection of women and children.

7. Continued security breakdown despite the change of power: Despite the fall of the Assad regime, killings and armed attacks continue, indicating that the transitional phase has not yet achieved security stability, and highlighting the urgent need to reform and restructure the security services within an effective human rights framework.

Recommendations

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.

To the Syrian government

1. Cooperate with international mechanisms

• 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.

2. Protect evidence and crime locations

• 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.

3. Promote justice and accountability

• 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.

4. Protect civilians and cultural sites

• 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.

5. Governance reform

• 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.

6. Prevent further violations

• Ensure respect for fundamental rights and freedoms for all without discrimination.
• Reform the judiciary and security apparatus in accordance with international human rights standards.

7. Support affected populations and rehabilitation

• Provide psychological and social support to families of missing persons and conflict victims.
• Develop comprehensive programs for the rehabilitation of survivors and released detainees.

UN Security Council and the international community

1. Refer crimes to the ICC

• 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.

2. Freeze and confiscate the former regime’s funds

• 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.

3. Enhance humanitarian efforts

• 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.

4. Remove mines and war remnants

• 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.

5. Support the missing persons issue and national reconciliation

• 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.

6. Lift sanctions to ensure they don’t adversely affect humanitarian operations

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

7. Ensure protection of Syrian refugees

• 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.

Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR)

1. Submit reports to the UN Human Rights Council and the UN on documented violations in this and previous reports, highlighting that killing is still going on in Syria.

Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic (COI)

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

International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM)

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

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)

1. Establish an internal committee to investigate violations 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 locations of landmines planted by SDF personnel in civilian areas.

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.

View the full report