Human Rights Organization: 558 Killed in Sweida in Weeks with Escalating Violence Expected

The Syrian Network for Human Rights announced the killing of at least 558 people and the injury of more than 783 others with varying degrees of severity in the Sweida province since the thirteenth of last July, amidst an unprecedented escalation of violence in the region.

The death toll, according to the report issued by the network, included 17 women, including a woman who died of a heart attack after hearing the news of her grandson's death, and 11 children, in addition to 6 medical personnel, including three women, and two journalists.

The report indicated that the acts of violence included fierce armed clashes and mutual shelling between the warring parties, in addition to Israeli airstrikes, targeting civilians, elements of the internal security forces, and the Ministry of Defense affiliated with the transitional government, as well as fighters from tribal armed groups and other local groups outside the control of the state.

The network confirmed that these numbers are still being updated as the verification of the identities of the victims and the nature of the roles they played continues, in preparation for determining the legal responsibility for each case.

According to the methodology adopted by the network in documentation, based on international human rights law, it does not record cases of armed combatants killed during clashes as they do not constitute rights violations, while any killing after the detention of individuals is considered an "extrajudicial killing."

In this context, the network called on the Syrian government to strictly adhere to the principles of international law and refrain from using indiscriminate force in residential areas, emphasizing the need to provide safe passages for the entry of humanitarian aid and medical relief, especially for children and women suffering from the consequences of violence.

It also called for independent and transparent investigations into all violations, including cases of extrajudicial killings and arbitrary arrests, with the need to protect vital civilian facilities such as hospitals and schools from any targeting, and to work on promoting a culture of tolerance and civil peace instead of sectarian and provocative rhetoric.

On the other hand, the network appealed to all parties involved in the conflict to immediately cease military operations and refrain from any retaliatory actions targeting civilians, emphasizing the importance of resorting to dialogue and local and international mediations as the only way to resolve the crisis.

The report warned of the dangers of continued violence, which could reproduce painful past scenarios, calling for urgent action by the parties concerned with the Syrian file to contain the situation before it worsens.