Regime-controlled areas in 2023 | Nearly 2,625 fatalities in acts of violence…alarming increase in crime rate…deteriorating security situation…chronic stifling crises

With the many calls by the Syrian regime and its allies upon Syrian refugees to return to their homeland which has become “safe and stable” as they claim, regime-controlled areas experienced several worrying developments, dramatic acts of violence and blatant violations of human rights in 2023, which manifested themselves in escalating displacement and fleeing of civilians these areas and chronic crises.

 

As a human rights organisation, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has monitored and tracked all developments in regime-controlled areas in 2023. These developments can be summarised in the following main points:

 

 

Acts of violence leaves hundreds of fatalities

 

In 2023, SOHR has documented the death of 2,622 people in various acts of violence in regime-controlled areas, including civilians, regime soldiers and officers, Russian and Iranian-backed Syrian and non-Syrian militiamen, ISIS members, gunmen and unidentified individuals; they are distributed as follows:

 

Civilians: 986 civilians: 118 children, 130 women and 738 young and adult men:

 

• 242 civilians, including 52 children and 24 women, were murdered.

 

• 206 civilians, including 50 children and 17 women, were killed in explosions of old ordnance.

 

• 171 civilians, including a woman, were killed by ISIS.

 

• 149 civilians, including seven children and seven women, killed in incidents of security disorder in Daraa province.

 

• 56 civilians, including 39 women and a child, were killed in the simultaneous attack by aircraft and ground troops on the military academy in Homs.

 

• 48 civilians, including a woman, died under torture in regime prisons.

 

• 36 civilians, including eight children, were killed in indiscriminate gunfire.

 

• 24 civilians, including ten children and seven women, were killed by opposition factions and jihadists.

 

• 18 civilians, including two women and nine children, were killed by explosions of IEDs and landmines.

 

• 12 civilians, including a child, were killed by regime forces.

 

• 11 civilians, including six children, were killed in strikes by Jordanian forces.

 

• Seven civilians, including a child and two women, were killed in Israeli attacks.

 

• Four civilians were killed by SDF.

 

• A civilian was killed by the Lebanese border guards.

 

• A civilian was killed by Iranian-backed militiamen.

 

Non-civilians: 1,639 people:

 

-1,224 members of regime forces and proxy militias:

 

• 422 killed by rebels and jihadists.

 

• 349 killed by ISIS.

 

• 181 killed in incidents of security disorder in Daraa.

 

• 79 killed in the simultaneous attack by aircraft and ground troops on the military academy in Homs.

 

• 61 assassinated.

 

• 47 killed in infightings and clashes with gunmen.

 

• 40 killed in Israeli strikes.

 

• 21 killed by explosions of IEDs and landmine.

 

• Nine killed by Turkish forces.

 

• Eight killed by SDF.

 

• Four killed in unknown circumstances.

 

• Three killed in US airstrikes.

 

-266 Iranian-backed Syrian and non-Syrian militiamen:

 

• 112 killed in Israeli rocket attacks and airstrikes.

 

• 63 killed in ISIS attacks.

 

• 41 killed in strikes by US forces.

 

• 18 militiamen were assassinated.

 

• 13 were killed by explosions.

 

• Eight killed in factional infightings.

 

• Eight killed in bombardment by ground forces in “Putin-Erdogan” area.

 

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

 

-84 gunmen were killed in different circumstances.

 

-59 ISIS members:

 

• 46 killed by Russian and regime forces.

 

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

 

Three members of Russian forces:

 

• One killed by opposition factions.

 

• One killed in Turkish bombardment.

 

• One killed in an incident of security disorder in Daraa province.

 

 

Crime rate is on the rise

 

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

 

 

The Syrian Observatory documented 212 murders in regime-controlled areas in 2023, where domestic violence and armed robberies were behind some of these murders, while motives behind the others remained unknown. These murder crimes left 242 fatalities: 52 women, 166 young and adult men and 24 children. The fatalities are distributed regionally as follows:

 

• Rif Dimashq: 33 murder crimes left five women, four children and 26 men dead.

 

• Daraa: 33 murder crimes left 32 men and nine women dead.

 

• Al-Suwaidaa: 31 murder crimes left four children, 25 men and four women dead.

 

• Hama: 22 murder crimes left a child, three women and 20 men dead.

 

• Latakia: 21 murder crimes left nine men, 12 women and six children dead.

 

• Homs: 21 murder crimes left 17 men, four women and a child dead

 

• Deir Ezzor: 17 murders crimes left two children, two women and 16 men dead.

 

• Damascus: 13 murder crimes left four women, a child and eight men dead.

 

• Aleppo: 13 murder crimes left six men, three children and six women dead.

 

• Tartus: Four murder crimes left two women, a little girl and a man dead.

 

• Al-Hasakah: Two murder crime left one woman and one man dead.

 

• Al-Qunaitrah: One murder crime left one young man dead.

 

• Idlib: One murder crime left five civilians dead.

 

A monthly distribution of crimes across Syria in 2023 and fatalities they left is as follows:

 

• January: 21 murder crimes left 22 fatalities, including six women and two children.

 

• February: 16 murder crimes left 16 fatalities, including two women and two children.

 

• March: 26 murder crimes left 28 fatalities, including nine woman and two children.

 

• April: 14 murder crimes left 18 fatalities, including three women and four children.

 

• May: 16 murder crimes left 18 fatalities, including four woman and two children.

 

• June: 16 murder crimes left 17 fatalities, including three women and three children.

 

• July: 14 murder crimes left 18 fatalities, including two women and two children.

 

• August: 16 murder crimes left 16 fatalities, including two women and a child.

 

• September: 23 murder crimes left 29 fatalities, including 11 women and two children.

 

• October: 16 murder crimes left 16 fatalities, including a woman.

 

• November: 17 murder crimes left 25 fatalities, including five women and two children.

 

• December: 17 murder crimes left 19 fatalities, including four women and two children.

 

Accordingly, September was the most bloody month in 2023, regarding the number of murder crimes in regime-controlled areas, in which 29 civilians were killed, while February, August and October were the least bloody months with 16 fatalities in each one.

 

 

Light decrease in the number of incidents of security disorder in “the cradle of the Syrian Revolution”

 

Daraa province, the “cradle of the Syrian Revolution,” witnessed a light decrease in the rate of security chaos incidents and attacks in 2023, compared to the number of attacks documented in 2022, where SOHR documented 499 attacks, which left 402 people dead; and they are as follows:

 

• 149 civilians, including seven children and seven women.

 

• 30 men accused of “involving in drug business.”

 

• 161 regime soldiers, members and collaborators with regime security services, including a woman.

 

• 26 former fighters who did not join any military formation, after having struck reconciliation deals with the Syrian regime.

 

• 13 ISIS members.

 

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

 

• Two people working for the Lebanese Hezbollah, including a commander.

 

• One “collaborator” with Iranian-backed militias.

 

• An ex-fighter in the former “Jabhat Al-Nusra.”

 

• A Russian soldier.

 

Here is a monthly breakdown of these attacks:

 

• January: 48 attacks left 35 fatalities.

 

• February: 25 attacks left 18 fatalities.

 

• March: 42 attacks left 35 fatalities.

 

• April: 61 attacks left 47 fatalities.

 

• May: 47 attacks left 32 fatalities.

 

• June: 39 attacks left 34 fatalities.

 

• July: 58 attacks left 51 fatalities.

 

• August: 33 attacks left 34 fatalities.

 

• September: 35 attacks left 25 fatalities.

 

• October: 48 attacks left 35 fatalities.

 

• November: 29 attacks left 23 fatalities.

 

• December: 34 attacks left 33 fatalities.

 

On June 27, a fighter jet believed to belong to regime forces executed two airstrikes on positions nearby Da’el and Al-Yadoudah towns in Daraa countryside. According to SOHR sources, the fighter jet took off from the Syrian desert, while the nature of the targeted sites and the reasons behind this attack remain unknown. It is worth noting that this was the first round of airstrikes in the past five years, precisely since 2018.

 

 

Regime continues killing prisoners

 

In 2023, the Syrian Observatory documented the death of 48 civilians under torture in regime prisons and security centres. The victims included a woman, a regime army defector, three men with a settled-status, a member of the regime’s military security service, a member of a local faction in Al-Suwaidaa, a regime military correspondent and a former member of the “Free Army.”

 

Here is a monthly breakdown of torture victims in regime prisons in 2023:

 

• January: Seven people.

 

• February: Three persons.

 

• March: Two persons.

 

• April: One person.

 

• May: Three persons.

 

• June: One person.

 

• July: Two person.

 

• August: Eight people.

 

• September: One person.

 

• October: Two persons.

 

• November: Nine people.

 

• December: Nine people.

 

As more fatalities are recorded and updated regularly, the number of civilians dying under torture in regime prisons since the beginning of the Syrian revolution has exceeded 49,450, all documented by names: 49,033 young and adult men, 349 children under the age of eighteen, and 68 women over the age of eighteen.

 

Reliable sources have informed the Syrian Observatory that the number of people killed, executed and/or died in regime prisons exceeded 105,000 people. Over 83% of the total death toll were killed and/or died in these prisons between May 2013 and October 2015, the period when the Iranian were supervising regime’s prisons. SOHR sources have also confirmed that more than 30,000 detainees were killed in the notorious prison of Saydnaya alone, while the second largest percentage of killing occurred in the Air-Force Intelligence detention facilities or prisons.

 

 

Devastating earthquake

 

A devastating earthquake hit Syrian territory on February 6 and resulted in the death and injury of thousands of Syrians: 2,243 fatalities were documented in regime-controlled areas. After the earthquake, large amounts of humanitarian aid, provided by many countries, organisations, authorities and donors around the world, have been poured to Syria to help quake-hit civilians. However, the regime’s “Shabiha” (regime loyalists who abuse power and conduct illegal actions for the benefit of the regime) and weak-willed individuals have looted large shares of that aid, which exacerbated the situation further.

 

On February 8, several complaints were issued by residents of Satamo town in Lattakia countryside regarding the absence of rescue aids that were distributed on those affected by the earthquake in the town and neighbourhing villages.

 

This caused a state of discontent among the residents of the town, forcing the regime’s security forces to interfere and solve the issue.

 

Amr Salim, the Minister of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection of the regime’s government, explained that patrols headed to Satamo town and it was revealed that two mayors have distributed the rescue aids on their relatives, where the issue was solved and the aids were distributed on those affected by the earthquake.

 

Residents of the affected villages in Lattakia countryside demanded that qualified individuals should be responsible for the distribution of the aids fairly to those in need, amid doubt regarding the integrity of the officials of the regime, who steal the aids without any supervision.

 

SOHR sources also reported growing popular discontent in resettlement centres in regime-controlled areas among the people affected by the devastating earthquake over injustice distribution of assistance by Al-Areen Charitable Foundation.

 

According to SOHR sources, officials of Al-Areen Charitable Foundation (former Al-Bostan Association), which had been run by Rami Makhlouf, Bashar Al-Assad’s cousin, before Al-Assad’s wife Asmaa Al-Akhras looted the institution at orders by Russia, and which is responsible for distributing humanitarian assistance in areas controlled by the Syrian regime, mainly in areas along the Syrian coastline, deliberately marginalise the residents of Bostan Al-Basha town, near Jableh city, in Latakia countryside, which is the hometown of Rami Makhlouf, as well as the marginalisation of earthquake-affected people in several village in Jableh area in Latakia province and Al-Qadmous area in Tartus province.

 

It is worth noting that humanitarian assistance is distributed to families and residents who have not been affected by the earthquake, after registering their names, at the same time, earthquake-affected residents do not receive assistance from the foundation, despite the considerable damage to residential houses and collapsing of buildings in Jableh region and Bostan Al-Basha town.

 

In late February, more than 100 people suffered food poisoning, where 33 of them were taken to Al-Jama’a and Al-Razy Hospitals in Aleppo, after they consumed means inside a sheltering centre for those affected by the earthquake, in Bostan Al-Qasr neighbourhood in Aleppo.

 

According to medical sources, the poisoned people felt sick and suffered vomiting and diarrhea, where these symptoms appeared after they consumed free meals provided by the centre, where most cases were treated after hours and some others were left under supervision of the doctors.

 

It is worth noting that the exposure of food to sunlight and high temperature caused the food to rot, in addition to the poor health conditions for civilians during this time.

 

Sheltering centres in Aleppo city suffer inability of securing main daily needs, and shortage of blankets.

 

 

Chronic crises and dreadful humanitarian situation

 

Despite the return of the Syrian regime to the “Arab political arena” and normalisation of relations between Al-Assad’s regime and most of the Arab countries, economic and living conditions in regime-controlled areas have been deteriorating, amid ongoing freefall of the Syrian currency against the US dollar.

 

In this context, SOHR sources reported that the prices of many types of medicines, such as Brufen and medicines for heart disease, epilepsy, diabetes, cancer and flu, have increased greatly, as well as the crisis of the acute shortage of infant formula.

 

Meanwhile, the prices of fuels have increased considerably, which triggered a state of public anger, as residents are unable to secure their needs of fuels for heating, especially with the low allowances provided by the regime government.

 

As the Syrian regime Ministry of Education announced the beginning of the new school year 2023-2024 on September 3, SOHR activists have confirmed that the prices of school supplies, including stationeries, school bags and uniforms, have increased by 150%, compared to their prices during the last school year.

 

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.

 

It is worth noting that the Syrian currency has hit a record low against the US dollar, where the value of the US dollar exceeded 15,000 SYP, while in late 2022, the Syrian pound against the US dollar recorded 7,000 SYP; this, in turn, has led to a dramatic increase in the prices of food stuffs, medicines and fuels.

 

 

Uprising by residents of Jabal Al-Arab

 

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

 

Anti-regime protests started in Al-Suwaidaa on January 9 when tens of residents arrived in “Al-Sir” square (Al-Karama) in Al-Suwaidaa city to start a sit-in protest and call for their political and living rights following calls by the “Peaceful Movement” group on the previous day for staging a sit-in protest dubbed “we will never reconcile,” in which the group called upon residents for gathering in “Al-Karama” square. Accordingly, residents staged a sit-in protest every week, before they started, in August, to take to the streets everyday.

 

The protestors chanted slogans, demanding the release of detainees and forcibly disappeared individuals in regime prisons, stressing the unity of the Syrian territory and calling upon the International Community to implement international resolutions, specifically Resolution No. 2254, in order to achieve a political settlement in Syria.

 

The protestors also lifted placards with anti-regime slogans written on them, some of which read “we can reconstruct our country together – Resolution 2254 – for the future of our children.” “Freedom is the will of the people.” “Peaceful uprising in Salkhad.” “Yes to the implementation of the Resolution No. 2254.” “The decentralization enhances the unity of Syrians.” “We want the implementation of the Resolution No. 2254 as soon as possible.” “Syria’s resources belong only to the Syrian people, and no one has the right to trade in them.” “Killing and displacing Syrian people is unforgivable crimes.” “No to sectarian strife among the constituents of the Syrian society.” “when people starve, then they eat the ruler.” “We will never forgive those who destroyed our country.”

 

On the other hand, residents of Melh town in the southern countryside replaced the name of “Al-Basel” park with its new name “Al-Amal” park, coinciding with the closure of the headquarter of the regime-backed Al-Baath party division in Salkhad city in the southern countryside of Al-Suwaidaa, in a peaceful way and with an agreement between the members of the division and the protesters.

 

It is worth noting that residents from the Syrian coastline and south Syria participated in the anti-regime demonstrations at different times.

 

Also, SOHR documented several incidents in which unknown individuals left anti-regime graffiti on walls in different towns and villages. In this context, unknown individuals left anti-regime graffiti on the walls of Kanaker town in western Rif Dimashq on June 7, condemning the reconciliations with the Syrian regime and calling for the toppling of Al-Assad’s regime and release of detainees in regime prisons. Some of those slogans read “we want the detainees,” “no reconciliation before release of detainees,” “down with Al-Assad.”

 

While on June 9, unknown individuals circulated fliers opposing the reconciliation with the Syrian regime, which escalated after the return of the Syrian regime to the Arab League, one of which read “Allah never helps or guides those who strike reconciliation with them.” Such fliers were circulated in the cities in Jasem and Nawa, the towns of Namir and Sahem Al-Golan, Al-Shajarah, Tafas and Al-Jizah in Daraa countryside, Aleppo University and Damascus.

 

 

“Symbolic” reconciliations

 

Several areas controlled by the Syrian regime experienced new reconciliation deals in 2023, struck by suspects, military deserters and defectors and young people who passed their date of joining the mandatory and reserve services to regime’s security branches to settle their security situation.

 

On July 23, regime’s security services launched a settlement process in the cultural centre building in Al-Qunaitrah city, including civilians wanted by the security services, young men who failed to perform “compulsory service” and “reserve service”, and dissidents from the regime’s army, where the settlement process continued until the end of July.

 

While on October 17, Airforce Intelligence, through mediators, resumed negotiations with residents of Zakiya Town in Rif Dimashq to start reconciliation process for several wanted suspects, after the process was suspended on last August. The Airforce Intelligence announced a list of 17 people from Zakiya Town to undergo reconciliation, in addition to starting reconciliation for people defected from the army of the regime. the town’s residents informed the head of the municipality in Zakiya town that they accepted the reconciliation on condition of the release of people from the town who were detained in regime prisons.

 

Similarly, on October 21, the military and security committee in Al-Qonaitara was preparing for comprehensive reconciliation that would start in October 29 until November 5, for residents of Sa’sa’ and Al-Harmon districts and their villages in addition to Arana, Qala’at Jondol, Khan Al-Shaikh, Boka’asam and Al-Rima in the building of the cultural centre in Al-Ba’ath City in Al-Qonaitara. The reconciliations covered those who failed to perform compulsory and reserve service, defectors, deserters from military service and everyone who were not involved in bloodshed.

 

Also, on October 30, SOHR activists monitored the opening of a settlement and reconciliation process for those who failed to perform compulsory and reserve service, defectors, deserters from military service and everyone who were not involved in bloodshed, in seven villages and towns, which were: (Sasaa and Al-Haramoun villages, Arnah, Qalaat Jandal, Khan Al-Sheikh, Baqasim and Al-Raymah towns in west of Rif Dimashq). Dozens of residents of the aforementioned villages went to the cultural centre in Al-Baath city in Al-Qunaitrah province to settle their situation, after the announcement of a settlement process on October 21, by the responsible committee of the regime in the province.

 

On December 14, regime forces launched a new reconciliation process within their areas they control, for wanted persons, young men who failed to perform compulsory and reserve service and defectors from the regime forces, in Al-Baath city in Al-Qunaitrah countryside. According to SOHR activists, dozens of residents of Al-Baath city and Al-Qunaitrah countryside in the southern area, Beit Jinn, and Rif Dimashq headed to the city centre to settle their situation.

 

 

Hmeimim airbase comes under attack and frequent drones attacks target regime-controlled areas

 

A new phenomenon emerged in late months of 2023, which manifested itself in attacks on different positions in regime-controlled areas with drones affiliated to rebels and jihadists, where SOHR documented over 30 attacks and attempted attacks by drones on positions in Aleppo, Hama, Idlib and Latakia, which left many casualties and caused material damage.

 

Separately, SOHR sources in Jablah countryside in Latakia countryside confirmed that the explosions which rocked the region on July 19 were caused by drone attacks on the Russian base in Hmeimim airbase, amid attempts by Russian forces to counter the attack. Meanwhile, shrapnel of rockets hit residential areas, which left several people injured and caused fires.

 

 

Syrian desert: Considerable escalation by ISIS leaves hundreds of fatalities

 

ISIS continues launching military operations against regime forces and their allies in different areas in the Syrian desert, which clearly indicate that the “Islamic State” is still alive and able to inflict heavy losses. It is worth noting that ISIS is deployed in an area of some 4,000 square kilometres scattered in the Syrian desert, precisely the area stretching from Jabal Abu Rajmayn area in north-eastern Palmyra to Deir Ezzor desert and western countryside, areas in Al-Sukhnah desert and areas to the north of the administrative border of Al-Suwaidaa province.

 

ISIS operations in 2023, which included ambushes, armed attacks, and explosions, were concentrated in Aleppo-Hama-Al-Raqqah triangle, the eastern desert of Homs and the deserts of Deir Ezzor and Al-Raqqah. Those operations were met with security campaigns by regime forces and their proxy militias in the Syrian desert, amid “timid” airstrikes by Russian fighter jets.

 

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) documented considerable escalation of ISIS operation in 2023, which left a large number of fatalities compared to ISIS resurgence in 2022, as SOHR activists confirmed the death of 629 people in over 174 operations carried out by ISIS in the Syrian desert since early 2023.

 

The fatalities are distributed as follows:

 

• 46 ISIS members were killed in clashes with regime forces and Russian airstrikes on ISIS hideouts in the deserts of Homs, Al-Suwaidaa, Hama, Al-Raqqah, Deir Ezzor and Aleppo.

 

• 171 civilians, including a woman, were killed in attacks by ISIS in the Syrian desert.

 

• 412 members of regime forces and their proxy militias, including 63 Iranian-backed Syrian and non-Syrian militiamen.

 

Here is a regional distribution of ISIS attacks in 2023:

 

-Homs desert: 60 operations left 270 fatalities:

 

• 157 combatants, including 26 Iranian-backed militias.

 

• 92 civilians, including a woman.

 

• 21 ISIS members.

 

-Al-Raqqah desert: 17 operations left 48 fatalities:

 

• 42 combatants.

 

• Three ISIS members.

 

• Three civilians.

 

-Deir Ezzor desert: 74 operations left 203 fatalities:

 

• 168 combatants, including 32 Iranian-backed militias.

 

• 15 ISIS members.

 

• 20 civilians.

 

-Hama desert: 18 operations left 97 fatalities:

 

• 53 civilians.

 

• 37 combatants, including five Iranian-backed militiamen.

 

• Seven ISIS members.

 

-Aleppo desert: Four operations left fatalities:

 

• Five combatants, including two members of the 25^th

 

• Three civilians.

 

-Al-Suwaidaa desert: One operation left three combatants dead.

 

 

87 assassinations and attacks target combatants

 

Also in 2023, SOHR documented 87 assassinations and attacks which targeted members of regime forces and security services and proxy militiamen in Al-Suwaidaa, Idlib, Hama, Latakia, Daraa, Al-Quneitra, Damascus, Deir Ezzor, Rif Dimashq and Homs provinces. Those attacks which left tens of casualties, were carried out by different bodies, some of which remained unknown, while others worked under local and foreign agendas.

 

Here is a monthly distribution of those attacks:

 

• January: 12 assassinations and attacks.

 

• February: Eight assassinations and attacks.

 

• March: Five assassinations and attacks.

 

• April: Nine assassinations and attacks.

 

• May: Seven assassinations and attacks.

 

• June: Nine assassinations and attacks.

 

• July: Seven assassinations and attacks.

 

• August: Seven assassinations and attacks.

 

• September: Six assassinations and attacks.

 

• October: Two assassinations and attacks.

 

• November: 11 assassinations and attacks.

 

• December: Four assassinations and attacks.

 

 

Simultaneous attack by aerial and ground forces on the military academy in Homs leaves scores of fatalities

 

On October 5, 135 people: 56 civilians, including 39 women and a child, and 79 combatants, including 67 recently-graduated officers, were killed in strikes by drones, shortly after the end of a ceremony that marked the graduation of a new batch of officers in the military academy in Homs. However, no bodies or organisations claimed responsibility for the attack.

 

Reliable SOHR sources reported that the bodies of some of the fatalities showed gunshot wounds, which indicates that the drone attack was carried out simultaneously with an armed attack.

 

The attack also left more than 145 civilians and combatants injured.

 

While on October 12, the sound of anti-aircraft weapons was heard in Homs city, amid intense security deployment since yesterday evening, in the vicinity of the war college building, neighbourhoods, and also on the roofs of buildings, by regime forces and security services, coinciding reports of a forthcoming visit by an investigation committee from Damascus, to work on uncovering the circumstances of the attack on the college.

 

On the other hand, roads leading to the War College from Homs City witnessed an intense deployment of security patrols on Al-Kharab road and Abraj Al-Waer road adjacent to the State Security Branch, as well as Dik Al-Jin roundabout, while other security patrols were deployed on Homs-Tartus highway adjacent to the War College from the northern side.

 

 

Security operations by Jordanian aircraft leave Syrians fatalities

 

Jordanian aircraft carried out a series of attacks and airstrikes, beside frequent operations by ground forces, as a part of efforts to counter operations of smuggling illicit drugs from Syria to Jordan through Al-Suwaidaa desert. However, those airstrikes led to the death of innocent Syrian civilians.

 

On May 5, the death of a person called Mar’i Al-Ramthan and his family, including his wife and six children, was confirmed, following airstrikes by Jordanian fighter jets which targeted a building where Al-Ramthan and his family were stationed in Al-Sha’ab village in the eastern countryside of Al-Suwaidaa near the Syria-Jordan border. Al-Ramthan was the most prominent drug dealer in the area and responsible for most of the smuggling operations to Jordan from the border village of Al-Sha’ab, and he had strong ties with leaders of the Lebanese Hezbollah.

 

SOHR condemns the killing of the wife and her children and denounces this crime, since attacking a suspect, such as “Al-Ramthan,” can never be used as an excuse for killing his children and wife.

 

Meanwhile, Jordanian fighter jets executed an airstrike on August 31, targeting a drug-manufacturing factory in Al-Safadi farm in the south of Tel Al-Sheih near Al-Ghariyah town in Al-Suwaidaa countryside near the Syria-Jordan border. The attack led to the destruction of the factory.

 

Similarly, on December 18, Jordanian fighter jets executed a series of airstrikes on an area which are considers the starting points of smuggling operation from Syria to Jordan by drug dealers close to the Lebanese Hezbollah and Syrian regime’s security services. The airstrikes targeted positions in Faysal Al-Sa’di farm near Salkhad city, Al-Shaab village, a farm in Zaybin area near the Syria-Jordan border and a position near Al-Mata’iyah village in Daraa countryside.

 

The Jordanian airstrikes on the farm in Zaybin area left four persons, including a woman and two children, dead and completely destroyed the farm where a large number of cattle perished. In addition, another man was killed in the airstrikes which targeted Faysal Al-Sa’di farm.

 

 

Ongoing attacks by Israel and Coalition

 

Israel and the International Coalition continue to violate Syria’s sovereignty, citing the large military presence and expansion of Iranian forces and their proxy militias as an excuse. SOHR is used to hearing the Syrian regime’s empty mantra that it always reserves the right to respond to Israeli attacks, while Damascus seems satisfied with press releases and condemnation.

 

SOHR documented 76 attacks by Israeli forces in 2023: 51 airstrikes and 25 rocket attacks by ground forces, during which Israel targeted several positions in Syria, destroying nearly 154 targets, including buildings, weapons and ammunitions warehouses, headquarters, centres and vehicles. These strikes killed 152 combatants and injured 154 others. The fatalities are distributed as follows:

 

• 63 Iranian-backed non-Syrian militiamen.

 

• 40 members of regime forces, including officers.

 

• 26 members of the Lebanese Hezbollah and the “Syrian Resistance for the Liberation of the Golan.”

 

• 14 Iranian-backed Syrian militiamen.

 

• Seven members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including a senior advisor.

 

• Two members of “Al-Jihad Al-Islami” organisation.

 

In addition, those attacks left seven civilians, including two women and a child, dead and other civilians injured.

 

The attacks are distributed regionally as follows:

 

• Damascus and Rif Dimashq: 30 attacks.

 

• Al-Quneitera: 18 attacks.

 

• Daraa: 13 attacks.

 

• Aleppo: nine attacks.

 

• Al-Suwaidaa: five attacks.

 

• Homs: four attacks.

 

• Deir Ezzor: three attacks.

 

• Tartus: three attacks.

 

• Hama: two attacks.

 

SOHR would like to point out that Israel sometimes targeted more than one province in a single attack.

 

On the other hand, US fighter jets and drones executed 13 rounds of airstrikes in 2023, targeting positions, posts and vehicles of Iranian-backed militias, all in west Euphrates region in Deir Ezzor province. Those attacks left 41 Iranian-backed Syrian and non-Syrian militiamen dead and over 28 others injured, some seriously, as well as the death of three regime soldiers.

 

 

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.