Regime-controlled areas in November 2023 | 267 fatalities in acts of violence…16 infightings, assassinations and attacks…living conditions deteriorate even further

Regime-controlled areas experienced scores of dramatic developments in November 2023, including an alarming escalation of violence, worsening living conditions, tightening security grip and ongoing arbitrary arrests.

 

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has monitored and tracked all key developments in regime-controlled areas in the past month, which can be summarised in the following main points:

 

 

Acts of violence leave many casualties

 

In November 2023, regime-controlled areas experienced an alarming escalation of acts of violence that left many casualties, where SOHR documented the death of 267 people across areas controlled by the Syrian regime and affiliated militias; the deaths are as follows:

 

 

Civilian fatalities

 

69 civilians, including four children and eight women. Here are further details of the circumstances of these deaths:

 

• 25 civilians, including two children and five woman, were murdered.

 

• 11 civilians, including a child and a woman, were killed in incidents of security disorder in Daraa.

 

• Nine civilians, including a woman, died under torture in a regime prison.

 

• Eight civilians, including a child, were killed in indiscriminate gunfire.

 

• Five civilians were killed in explosions of old ordnance.

 

• Three civilians were killed by SDF.

 

• Two civilians were killed by regime forces.

 

• One civilian was killed by ISIS.

 

 

Non-civilian fatalities

 

-138 combatants:

 

• 77 killed by ISIS.

 

• 34 killed by rebels and jihadists.

 

• 11 shot dead by unidentified gunmen.

 

• Nine killed in incidents of security disorder in Daraa province.

 

• Three killed by explosions.

 

• Three killed in internal infightings.

 

• One killed by SDF.

 

-44 Iranian-backed militiamen:

 

• 16 Syrian and non-Syrian militiamen were killed by Israeli strikes.

 

• 21 Syrian and non-Syrian militiamen were killed in US strikes.

 

• Six Syrian militiamen were killed by ISIS.

 

• One Syrian militiaman was assassinated.

 

-One former fighter, who did not join any military formation, after having struck a reconciliation deal with the Syrian regime, was killed in an incident of security disorder in Daraa.

 

-15 ISIS members:

 

• Two killed during security operations in Daraa.

 

• 13 killed in Russian airstrikes.

 

 

Kidnappings and arbitrary arrests

 

As regime security and intelligence services continue their repression, SOHR activists documented, in November, the arrest of at least 19 civilians, including ten women, as well as the kidnapping of nine others, including two children.

 

A regional breakdown of arbitrary arrests is as follows:

 

• Aleppo: Ten people.

 

• Daraa: Four persons.

 

• Deir Ezzor: Three persons.

 

• Tartus: One person.

 

• Latakia: One person.

 

A regional breakdown of kidnaps is as follows:

 

• Daraa: Eight people, including two children.

 

• Homs: One person.

 

 

Crime rate is on the rise

 

Since early 2023, regime-held areas have experienced an alarming escalation of crime rate, in light of the regime security services’ failure to put an end to the state of disorder and rampant security chaos in all Syrian provinces.

 

The Syrian Observatory documented 17 murder crimes in regime-controlled areas in November 2023, which left 25 fatalities, including five women and two children. The murder crimes and fatalities they left are distributed regionally as follows:

 

• Rif Dimashq: One murder crime left a child dead.

 

• Latakia: Three murder crimes left a little boy and three women dead.

 

• Al-Suwaidaa: Two murder crimes left three men dead.

 

• Homs: Two murder crimes left a man and a woman dead.

 

• Hama: Three murder crimes left three men dead.

 

• Daraa: Three murder crimes left a woman and eight men dead.

 

• Aleppo: One murder crime left a man dead.

 

• Deir Ezzor: One murder crime left a man dead.

 

• Al-Hasakah: One murder crime left a man dead.

 

 

Daraa “the cradle of the Syrian Revolution:” Security chaos noticeably escalates

 

Incidents of security disorder, mainly armed attacks, in Daraa province continued in November 2023, where SOHR documented 29 attacks in different areas throughout Daraa province. These attacks left 23 people dead; they are as follows:

 

• 11 civilians, including a child and a woman.

 

• A man accused of “involving in drug business.”

 

• Six regime soldiers, members and collaborators with regime security services.

 

• One former fighter, who did not join any military formation, after striking a reconciliation deal with the Syrian regime.

 

• Two ISIS members.

 

• Two ex-fighters with settled-status working for regime services and backed militias.

 

 

Infightings and assassinations and attacks target combatants

 

In November, SOHR documented five infightings and 11 assassinations and attacks which targeted members of regime forces and security services in Deir Ezzor, Rif Dimashq, Homs, Latakia and Daraa provinces. Those attacks and infightings left 17 people dead and others injured.

 

 

Required winter supplies further burden Syrian families

 

Living and economic conditions continue to deteriorate in regime-controlled areas, as winter approaches, where the dramatic increase in prices of the most of basic products and ongoing freefall of the Syrian currency against the US dollar make residents shoulder extra burdens. The deteriorating situation has triggered broad public discontent, especially with the inaction by the regime government and mishandling such chronic crises.

 

In light of the skyrocketing prices, low salaries and wages and lack of job opportunities, many residents have failed to secure their winter supplies, such as heating materials, winter clothes for children and food supplies.

 

SOHR activists have toured markets in regime-controlled areas in different provinces and monitored the new prices of some vegetables, which can be listed as follows:

 

• Potato: 9,000 SYP per kilogram.

 

• Tomato: 4,0000 SYP per kilogram.

 

• Onion: 6,000 SYP per kilogram.

 

• Courgette: 5,000 SYP per kilogram.

 

• Cauliflower: 6,000 SYP per kilogram.

 

• Cabbage: 5,000 SYP per kilogram.

 

• Pepper: 5,000 SYP per kilogram.

 

• Beans: 25,000 SYP per kilogram.

 

• Lemon: 4,000 SYP per kilogram.

 

Moreover, the prices of fuels have increased to unaffordable level, which triggered a state of anger among the residents who are not able to secure their needs of fuel for the incoming winter, especially with the low amounts of heating allowances and subsidies provided by the regime government.

 

With the Syrian currency continues to plummet, the buying rate of the Syrian pound reached 13,750 SYP and the selling rate reached 13,950 SYP against the dollar in Damascus. While in Aleppo city, the buying rate reached 13,850 SYP and the selling rate is 14,050 SYP against the dollar. In Al-Hasakah city, however, the buying rate reached 14,300 SYP and the selling rate is 14,400 SYP against the dollar.

 

Many residents have commented the dramatic increase in prices and deteriorating living conditions, accusing regime officials of looting Syria’s resources that belong only to Syrian people and having no intention to issue strict decision that could probably ease off the sufferings of people. Some others accused merchants of exploiting crises and not complying with the prices set by the government and exploiting the people’s need of specific products to make profits.

 

The residents also called for improving the poor living conditions which push young people to immigrate to search for decent standards of living in other countries.

 

 

Ongoing uprising by people of Jabal Al-Arab

 

As residents from Jabal Al-Arab area continue their peaceful protests in Al-Suwaidaa, calling for toppling Bashar Al-Assad, applying political transition, enhancing the concept of the decentralization and implementing the International Resolution No. 2254, peaceful demonstrations are staged in Al-Suwaidaa city centre on a daily basis.

 

In the same context, civilians blocked side roads in Al-Suwaidaa city on November 5, protesting against the service and living conditions in the country.

 

Meanwhile, others burned rubber tyres on Damascus-Al-Suwaidaa road in Atil town, in front of Al-Baath Party branch in Al-Suwaidaa, demanding its complete closure and the beginning of a comprehensive strike in the province.

 

 

Drones attacks continue in regime-controlled areas

 

The phenomenon of attacking different positions in regime-controlled areas with drones affiliated to rebels and jihadists continued in November, where SOHR documented over 13 attacks and attempted attacks by drones on positions in Aleppo, Hama, Idlib and Latakia, which left many casualties and caused material damage.

 

 

Ongoing Israeli attacks

 

As Israel continues to violate Syria’s sovereignty, SOHR documented ten attacks in November: eight airstrikes and two rocket attacks by ground forces. Those attacks left 16 Iranian-backed Syrian and non-Syrian militias dead.

 

 

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has been all along warning against the repercussions of the crippling chronic crises and security chaos in regime-controlled areas and elsewhere in Syria, with only the Syrian regime to blame for the disastrous situation Syria is in right now. We, at the Syrian Observatory, call upon all international actors not to abandon their responsibility and obligations towards the people of Syria and urge them to find a lasting solution to the tragedy of millions of Syrians and bring Al-Assad, his affiliates and all those responsible for violations and those who aided and abetted the killing of Syrian people to justice.