The decline in peace and safety within Syria is primarily attributed to the enduring twelve-year-long war. It originated from political and military conflicts, resulting in the emergence of multiple controlling powers and subsequent escalated clashes among them. In addition, the presence of Islamic State (ISIS) cells continues to pose a significant threat in the country.

Consequently, Syria has become a battleground for conflicting parties, with the involvement of foreign powers, leading to severe human rights violations against civilians, including women and children. These violations encompass deliberate killings, direct attacks, kidnappings, arbitrary detentions, and other inhumane acts.

Some of the conflicting parties have also armed civilians, forming armed groups loyal to them, further worsening the security crisis and spreading violence throughout Syria.

On the International Peace Day, which marks September 21 of every year, it is important to highlight the continuous state of low peace and its impact on the lives of Syrians.

This report by the Monitoring and Documentation Department of North Press Agency discusses the consequences of the lack of peace in Syria on civilians and their rights. It does so by providing the toll of civilian victims who have been killed and injured at the hands of conflicting parties in 2023, falling victim to the security breakdown and the proliferation of weapons among civilians. This toll is one of the key indicators pointing to the deterioration of the peace situation in Syria.

Since the beginning of 2023, the Monitoring and Documentation Department of North Press Agency has recorded the killing and injury of 2,747 civilians, including women and children. Among these, 1,490 were directly affected by the actions of conflicting parties. Around 478 people were killed, including 32 women and 42 children, and 1,012 were injured, including 98 women and 123 children.

The conflicting parties involved include Turkish forces, their affiliated factions of the Syrian National Army (SNA), and Syrian government forces. Among these parties, Turkish forces have caused the highest number of civilian victims, totaling 429. Among these victims, 79 were killed, including seven women and three children, while 350 were injured, including 43 women and 38 children. 

Syrian government forces rank second with 282 victims, of whom 89 civilians were killed, including five women and 11 children, and 193 were injured, including 21 women and 44 children. Following them are the SNA factions with 261 civilian victims, of whom 26 were killed, including three women and two children, and 235 were injured, including 15 women and 15 children, as a result of their actions.

Source: North Press Agency