UN Security Council addresses escalating violence against civilians in Syria

Matteo Piccioli | Maastricht U. Faculty of Law, NL

AUGUST 11, 2025 08:39:36 AM\

The UN Security Council voiced concerns on Sunday regarding the violence and attacks against civilians in Syria’s Sweida region.

The Security Council adopted a presidential statement, document S/PRST/2025/6, asserting that the Council “strongly condemns the violence perpetrated against civilians…and calls on all parties to adhere to the ceasefire arrangement and to ensure the protection of the civilian population.”

The Security Council also urged Syrian interim authorities to condemn attacks against civilians and deliver justice for victims with “credible, swift, transparent, impartial, and comprehensive investigations…in line with international standards.” Following mass killings in Syria’s coastal region in March, the country’s transitional president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, announced the creation of fact-finding committees to hold those responsible accountable. Human rights groups such as Amnesty International have urged interim authorities to publish the complete investigations into civilian attacks.

The UN reiterated Resolution 2254 (2015) in which the Security Council recognized the “sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic,” and demanded that the parties to the conflict “immediately cease any attacks against civilians and civilian objects.” As violence intensified in several Syrian regions, the UN repeatedly urged the protection of civilians. UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen recalled the high risk posed by continued violence, as Syria is undergoing a fragile process towards peace.

The Security Council also addressed the threat of terrorism. In the 36th report of the UN Analytical Support and Sanctions
Monitoring Team regarding ISIL, al-Qaeda, and associated entities, UN experts on July 24 said that terrorist groups “continue to view the country as a strategic base for external operations.” The Security Council called on the Syrian interim authorities to combat the growing threat of these extremist groups and ideologies.

Since hostilities intensified in Sweida in mid-July, more than 191,000 people have been internally displaced within as-Sweida Governorate. This adds to the 16.5 million people in need in Syria, according to UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Women and girls have also been targeted, with several abductions being reported by rights organizations. Mass killings of civilians were reported at the beginning of the year, demonstrating the need for justice and accountability in an already unstable situation.