Human rights abuses against Syria's Alawites continue: UN committee
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A UN investigation reveals grave human rights abuses in Syria, including sectarian killings, displacement in Sweida, and intensified Israeli airstrikes.
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Alawite man walks in an alley in Sumariya, a suburb northwest of Damascus, Syria, Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025 (AP)
The head of the UN investigative commission for Syria, Paulo Pinheiro, announced that the human rights situation in Syria remains horrific, as recent developments have exacerbated the suffering of many people.
In a verbal briefing, Pinheiro detailed ongoing abuses, including killings, arbitrary arrests, and detentions of individuals from the Alawite sect. Furthermore, he highlighted the seizure and occupation of properties from people who escaped the violence this past March.
Pinheiro also pointed to an expansion of attacks against Alawites into other areas, noting that in August, an armed group expelled many Alawite residents from the al-Sumariya suburb of Damascus, claiming they had evacuation orders issued on behalf of the state. This took place amid a wave of kidnappings, killings, expulsions, and sectarian humiliation.
Alawite women face kidnapping in broad daylight
In the briefing, the head of the investigative committee said there are still reports of Alawite women being kidnapped in broad daylight in city centers by unidentified armed groups, and preliminary information indicates that some were subjected to sexual assault before their release, while others were forced into marriage.
Pinheiro highlighted that a deeply concerning trend in many disappearance cases is that families report that local police authorities have yet to investigate these actions.
He added that the attacks against the Alawite sect, which began in January 2025, reached a peak in March with the large-scale, systematic killing of more than 1,400 men, women, and children within just a few days. These killings took place in the provinces of Latakia, Tartus, and Hama and were perpetrated in some instances by members of the interim government's own security forces, acts which he stated amount to war crimes.
More than 200,000 people displaced from Sweida
The head of the investigative committee stated that violence in Sweida involving Druze and Bedouin communities and other actors displaced nearly 200,000 civilians and killed or injured hundreds, primarily Druze but also Bedouins and others.
He revealed that the conduct of the interim government's security forces during these operations raises serious concerns, as online videos, documented by the commission, show Druze men subjected to summary executions and degrading treatment, exposing a climate of extreme violence also characterized by looting and property destruction.
Certain armed groups have also committed serious violations against Bedouin communities, according to the latter's reports.
'Israel' exacerbates suffering in Syria
Pinheiro told the Human Rights Council, "Israel has intensified its military intervention and continued its frequent airstrikes on Syria, including near major government buildings in Damascus, causing significant destruction and reportedly resulting in civilian casualties, with recent strikes also occurring near Homs, Latakia, and Palmyra."
He added that "Israel's violations, including the occupation of territory beyond the 1974 separation line, the forced displacement of residents, and the reported arbitrary detention of Syrians during ground operations, are further destabilizing an already highly insecure region. He added that "Israel's" actions in Syria must stop immediately.
