An international committee investigating war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Druze-majority Syrian province of Suweida, following sectarian clashes this summer announced on Tuesday that it had concluded its first visit to affected communities.
Fighting between Druze factions and Sunni Bedouin tribes ravaged the Druze-majority region last July.
The violence worsened after government forces backing Bedouin militias intervened.
Fighters affiliated with the Syrian government were accused of committing grave violations, where dozens of crimes – including extrajudicial executions – were documented.
Estimates of casualties vary, ranging from 814 to 1,653, with Druze militias also accused of targeting Bedouin civilians.
Suweida’s residents say their region remains under siege as government-aligned forces continue to restrict the flow of aid by cutting off roads leading to the governorate.
The Syrian government has denied this and said aid trucks have entered the region.
In a statement, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria said that is had "departed Syria and looks forward to conducting further visits to affected communities and areas, provided that access and the necessary conditions to continue its work remain in place."
"We express our deep gratitude to the many survivors, witnesses, and members and leaders of affected communities who shared their testimonies regarding suspected violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law."
The Commission noted that, although investigations are still ongoing, it has presented preliminary recommendations to address urgent human rights concerns to the relevant authorities.
It also pointed out that "misinformation about the visit has been circulating, particularly on social media platforms."
The Commission stressed that, in accordance with its usual practice, it "does not announce any findings before its investigations are complete."
It clarified that it "outlines the procedures for submitting requests on its official website and has not issued any separate public calls for testimonies or shared phone numbers with the public or for dissemination."
It emphasised that it "will continue its investigations, including through engagement with all affected communities and relevant stakeholders."
The Syrian government appointed a committee to investigate the violence on 31 July, vowing to bring those responsible to justice.
In early September, authorities said they had interrogated and detained members of the defence and interior ministries suspected of committing abuses against civilians in Suweida.
Residents of the southern region however say they have little trust in the government’s findings.
The clashes have deepened the rift between Syria’s Druze minority and the country’s new rulers, who rose to power after ousting longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December.
Israel intervened in the Suweida violence, saying it was doing this to "protect" the Druze, and bombing key government sites and government forces.
Syria, still reeling from 14 years of civil war, has been marred by sectarian violence since Assad was toppled. President Ahmed al-Sharaa had guaranteed safety and equal rights for religious and ethnic minorities, who have grown concerned for their future in the fractured nation.
Earlier this year, sectarian clashes left more than a thousand Alawite civilians dead in the northwestern coastal region. The government said it has made arrests.
A UN-backed commission that investigated sectarian violence in the Alawite-majority region found that there was "widespread and systematic" violence against civilians perpetrated by some government-affiliated factions, but found no evidence that the central government directed it.
There have also been recent clashes between government factions and Kurdish-led forces that control about a third of the country in the east.
The New Arab
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