Human Rights Watch Warns Lack of Accountability After Syria’s Sweida Violence Threatens Stability

Human Rights Watch has warned that the absence of accountability for serious violations committed during armed clashes in Syria’s southern Sweida province in July 2025 risks deepening civilian suffering and undermining prospects for stability and the rule of law. The organization said impunity continues to fuel cycles of violence and erode trust in state institutions.

In a newly released report, the rights group documented grave abuses carried out by multiple actors during the fighting, including Syrian government forces, armed Bedouin groups, and Druze civilian factions. Reported violations included unlawful killings, kidnappings, attacks on human dignity, looting, and destruction of property, leaving dozens of civilians dead and displacing up to 187,000 people.

Human Rights Watch called on Syrian authorities to ensure accountability across all sides, stressing the need to investigate and prosecute those responsible, including senior officials and military commanders. The group emphasized the principle of command responsibility, under which leaders may be held liable for war crimes committed by forces under their control.

Adam Coogle, the organization’s deputy Middle East director, said the authorities must demonstrate that they represent all Syrians by pursuing justice at the highest levels. He warned that failure to deliver comprehensive accountability would risk repeating what he described as the country’s “past horrors.”

According to testimonies gathered by the organization, government security forces carried out arbitrary killings and destroyed civilian property, while allied Bedouin armed groups engaged in kidnappings and looting. At the same time, armed Druze groups reportedly attacked civilians and carried out arbitrary detentions. Human Rights Watch documented 86 suspected unlawful killings, including 67 Druze civilians and 19 Bedouin civilians.

The report also criticized the interim Syrian authorities for failing to conduct credible investigations. Although officials condemned the abuses and formed an investigative committee, progress has stalled. UN experts previously reported that attacks on several villages alone may have killed around 1,000 people. Human Rights Watch concluded that without genuine accountability, civilian suffering will persist and prospects for lasting peace will remain out of reach.