Shafaq News– Damascus

Syria experienced one of its deadliest periods in 2025, with thousands of civilians killed in mass killings, field executions, and other security violations across several regions, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

Massacres and Field Executions

SOHR said its field documentation shows “an unprecedented escalation in collective massacres and liquidation operations targeting civilians amid an almost complete absence of accountability or effective protection mechanisms.” The killings were recorded between March 6 and November 24 and were reported across the Syrian coast and its mountainous areas, the Damascus countryside, and Suwayda province.

According to SOHR, at least 2,691 civilians were documented by name as killed during this period in 63 massacres in the provinces of Latakia, Suwayda, Tartus, Hama, and Homs, in addition to deadly incidents in Sahnaya, Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, and Jaramana.

In Suwayda alone, the watchdog recorded 990 civilian deaths in 2025. Among them were 162 civilians, including 21 children and 51 women.

At least 20 medical staff from Sweida National Hospital were also among those “executed in the field by gunfire from members of the Ministries of Defense and Interior.”

These incidents, the organization said, were accompanied by collective field executions carried out by factions affiliated with Syria’s transitional government forces, signaling “a highly dangerous phase of security breakdown and violations of civilian protection rules.”

Explosive Remnants of War

Since the start of 2025, the organization documented 599 civilian deaths caused by unexploded ordnance, including 192 children and 41 women, across areas controlled by the Syrian government, the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration, and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army.

In government-controlled areas, 467 civilians were killed, including 146 children and 23 women. SOHR said eight victims died while collecting truffles, including a woman and a child. In areas under the Autonomous Administration, 39 civilians were killed, including 19 children and four women. In areas controlled by the Syrian National Army, 93 civilians died, including 27 children and 14 women.

Global Coalition Operations Against ISIS

SOHR also documented continued operations by the US-led international coalition against the ISIS group during 2025. According to the Observatory, coalition forces carried out 79 security operations in areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces, resulting in the arrest of 203 Islamic State members and cells, including senior figures.

The operations also led to the killing of more than 14 ISIS members, including commanders, SOHR said, highlighting the ongoing security threat posed by the group and the need for coordinated international and regional efforts to protect civilians and uphold international humanitarian law.

Israeli Ground Violations in Southern Syria

SOHR reported a marked escalation in Israeli military activity in southern Syria during 2025, with repeated ground incursions into Quneitra and Daraa provinces. According to the Observatory, these operations targeted civilians and infrastructure, increasing risks to human security and local stability.

While the incursions began at a limited pace early in the year, SOHR said they intensified toward the end of 2025, with more than 90 ground operations recorded in November alone, “in the absence of any official or international deterrent.”

The incursions included ground raids, temporary checkpoints, house and farm searches, civilian arrests, land clearing, and strikes on military and strategic sites using drones and armored patrols.

SOHR said these actions fueled security tensions, disrupted water and electricity networks, and prompted local rejection of any form of Israeli assistance, reflecting widespread fear and uncertainty among residents.

Since the start of 2025, the Observatory said it documented 460 Israeli ground violations in southern Syria.

Deaths Under Torture

SOHR also reported that 61 civilians died under torture over the course of the year in various regions of the country.

“These incidents highlight the continued grave violations against human life and dignity,” SOHR said, adding that victims were subjected to harsh conditions that led to their deaths, reflecting the scale of humanitarian suffering amid ongoing conflict and widespread abuse.