Syrian Presidency Receives Final Report on March Coastal Violence, Vows Accountability
Syria's presidency vows accountability after receiving the coastal violence report, amid ongoing sectarian bloodshed in Suwayda. As international scrutiny grows, Damascus faces a critical test in delivering justice and preventing future atrocities.
By Ahora Qadi
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Syrian Presidency announced on Sunday that it has formally received the final report compiled by the national fact-finding committee investigating the violent events that swept through the country’s coastal region in March, pledging to undertake measures that would ensure truth, justice, and non-repetition of such violations.
According to the official statement, the Syrian Presidency confirmed it had taken delivery of the “full report from the independent national committee tasked with uncovering and investigating the incidents that took place in Syria’s coastal region in early March.”
The report comes in the wake of a wave of sectarian-motivated Killing that began on March 6 and lasted for three days, leaving a devastating toll among the region’s Alawite-majority population. Authorities accused armed loyalists of former President Bashar al-Assad of orchestrating the unrest, launching brutal assaults that resulted in the deaths of dozens of their own faction members.
In response, Syrian government forces deployed reinforcements to the area. However, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that these forces and their allied militias committed grave violations, including massacres and summary executions, killing approximately 1,700 civilians—most of them Alawites, the sect to which the Assad family belongs.
Presidency Vows Meticulous Review and Justice
The Syrian Presidency stated that it would examine the findings “with the utmost care and precision to ensure that steps are taken to promote truth, justice, accountability, and the prevention of such violations in these incidents and in the broader process of building a new Syria.”
While the statement made no reference to the specific conclusions of the investigation, it invited the fact-finding committee to hold a press conference to publicly present its findings “should it deem such action appropriate.”
The presidency reaffirmed that the committee’s formation was part of a broader effort to ensure that “no violations or attempts to obscure the truth become part of Syria’s future—whether related to the coastal incidents or any other occurrences.”
Eyewitness testimonies gathered by survivors and international rights organizations revealed horrific scenes: entire families killed, including women, children, and the elderly. Armed militants reportedly stormed homes, asking residents whether they were Alawites or Sunnis before deciding whether to kill or spare them.
Some of the attackers recorded themselves on video committing executions at point-blank range while insulting and beating their victims.
Amnesty and Broader Accountability Demands
The committee was initially formed by Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa on March 9 and was expected to complete its report within one month. That deadline was later extended to three months, culminating in the final report submitted on July 10.
Last month, Amnesty International urged the Syrian authorities to publish the full findings of the investigation and to ensure accountability for all perpetrators.
The report's delivery to the presidency comes just one day after President al-Sharaa pledged to protect minorities and hold “all violators accountable, regardless of affiliation,” in light of a parallel wave of sectarian violence in the Druze-majority province of Suwayda, where more than 1,000 people were killed in a single week, according to the Syrian Observatory.
Death Toll from Suwayda Violence Exceeds 1,000
Clashes erupted last Sunday between Druze fighters and Bedouin groups, later drawing in Syrian government forces and tribal fighters siding with the Bedouins. The Syrian Observatory documented the deaths of 336 Druze fighters and 298 Druze civilians, including 194 who were reportedly executed by personnel from the Ministries of Defense and Interior.
In retaliation, 342 members of the Ministry of Defense and the General Security Directorate were killed, along with 21 Bedouins—three of whom were civilians said to have been executed by Druze militants.
According to SOHR, residents have also accused Syrian security forces and pro-government militias of multiple human rights abuses, including the abduction of Alawite women in the coastal region and sporadic summary executions in several parts of the country.
As the Presidency begins reviewing the coastal violence report, national and international observers are watching closely to see whether Damascus will follow through on its pledge to bring justice and ensure that such atrocities are never repeated.
