Syria investigation committee vows accountability for those behind violence in coastal region

DAMASCUS

A Syrian investigation committee into violence in the coastal cities of Latakia and Tartus vowed Tuesday to bring those involved in violations to accountability.

"No one is above the law, and all those involved in violations will be subject to accountability within the committee's jurisdiction," the committee said during a press conference held in Damascus following a meeting with President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

The committee said investigations into incidents in the coastal cities will be concluded within 30 days.

“The committee is open to international cooperation but prefers to rely on national capabilities,” it added.

"We will work on the ground, listen to witnesses, and not rely solely on videos shared on social media,” the committee added.

Yasser Farhan, a spokesman for the committee, said the March 6 events in Syria’s coastal cities "have exposed the deep scars left by Syria’s tragedy over 14 years and beyond in the collective consciousness."

He explained that the investigation committee began its work with a meeting with the country’s president.

During the meeting, the president emphasized the committee's role “in uncovering the truth and reaffirmed the state’s commitment to holding perpetrators accountable and ensuring justice for the victims,” he added.

In this context, Farhan highlighted that the committee's work aligns with "the new Syria’s commitment to upholding justice, the rule of law, protecting citizens' rights and freedoms, preventing extrajudicial retaliation, and ensuring accountability without impunity."

"The committee reaffirms its independence and its commitment to neutrality, relying on available evidence, reports, and other relevant source materials," he added.

The spokesman also mentioned that the committee has developed a plan to interview witnesses, collect testimonies, and identify key locations for on-site investigations as part of its fact-finding efforts.

The committee was established by a presidential decree and consists of five judges, a senior criminal security officer, and a human rights lawyer.

It has been tasked with uncovering the causes, circumstances, and details behind the events, investigating violations against civilians and identifying those responsible, examining attacks on public institutions, security forces, and the military, determining the perpetrators, and referring those proven to be involved in crimes and violations to the judiciary.

Last week, Syria's coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus witnessed coordinated attacks by loyalists of the deposed Bashar al-Assad regime. These were the most intense assaults since the regime’s collapse, targeting security patrols and checkpoints, resulting in casualties.

After the collapse of the Assad regime in December, the new Syrian authorities launched an initiative to settle the status of former regime members in the military and security forces, contingent on their surrendering weapons and remaining untainted by bloodshed.

While tens of thousands accepted the initiative, some armed groups made up of regime remnants, particularly in the coastal region where high-ranking Assad officers were stationed, rejected it.

Over time, these groups fled to the mountainous areas, stirring tensions, destabilizing the region, and launching sporadic attacks against government forces in recent weeks.

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on Dec. 8, 2024, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963.