Syria: Briefing and Consultations
Tomorrow morning (21 August), the Security Council will hold its monthly open briefing on the political and humanitarian situations in Syria. UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher are expected to brief. Closed consultations are scheduled to follow the open briefing.
Speakers at the meeting may note that recent weeks have demonstrated Syria’s fragility and its vulnerability to escalations of violence. The clashes that unfolded in July in Suweida (a Druze majority governorate in southern Syria) between Bedouin tribal fighters and Druze militias, and Israel’s subsequent strikes across Syria—ostensibly aimed at supporting the Druze community—prompted the Security Council to adopt a presidential statement on 10 August. Among other things, the presidential statement expressed concern about the situation in Suweida and condemned attacks against civilians. (For more information, see our 9 August What’s In Blue story.)
A ceasefire in Suweida, announced by the Syrian interim government on 19 July, has largely continued to hold, despite multiple instances of sporadic clashes in the region. Secessionist and anti-government sentiment among Druze communities has apparently increased since July, as protests calling for independence have reportedly taken place in Suweida city.
Tomorrow, Pedersen is likely to update Council members on the tensions in Suweida following the July ceasefire, and his engagement with the Syrian interim authorities and local Druze authorities to de-escalate the situation. The US reportedly brokered a meeting yesterday (19 August) between Israeli officials and Syrian foreign minister Asaad al-Shaibani to further reduce tensions between the two countries. Council members are likely to reiterate key messages from the 10 August presidential statement, such as calling on the parties to ensure the protection of civilians. They may also urge the sides to commit to discussions that promote calm and to undertake confidence-building measures.
Some Council members may also reiterate concerns that Israel’s recent military actions in Syria are detrimental to the country’s stability and call on Israel to respect Syria’s sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity. Some members might also urge Israel to fully respect the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement and to withdraw its forces from the buffer zone in the Golan established by the agreement.
Fletcher is likely to brief on continued efforts by the UN and its humanitarian partners to deliver aid to regions affected by the violence that erupted in Suweida in July. He may note that continued insecurity and violent clashes are impeding humanitarian access to Suweida and refer to an 8 August incident in which a Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) convoy came under direct fire in Daraa governorate. Local reports have also indicated that residents in Suweida city continue to face a lack of access to essential services such as electricity and water. Council members are expected to reiterate concerns over the persisting impediments to the provision of essential aid and services. They are also likely to urge the parties to ensure full, safe, rapid, and unhindered humanitarian access to all affected communities, in line with the Council’s call in the 10 August presidential statement.
Tomorrow, speakers may also raise concerns regarding the mounting tensions between the Syrian interim authorities and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led group which controls most of Syria’s de facto autonomous northeastern territory. On 9 August, Syria’s state news agency reported that, in reaction to an SDF-held conference calling for decentralisation, the interim authorities backed out of meetings scheduled to take place in Paris between the two parties, demonstrating that challenges remain in the implementation of the 10 March agreement to integrate the SDF and its associated civil and military structures into Syria’s state institutions. Furthermore, on 12 August, a government soldier was reportedly killed by SDF forces in Aleppo governorate, and on 14 August, clashes erupted between interim government forces and the SDF in Deir ez-Zor governorate. On 17 August, the Syrian interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, said that he hoped for a peaceful resolution to the issue within “a few months”, through the support of the US and Türkiye.
Pedersen and Council members are likely to call on the parties to avoid any further escalation and to focus on diplomatic efforts to ensure the implementation of the 10 March agreement. Some speakers may underscore the importance of disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration (DDR) efforts for Syria’s future stability and the need for the interim authorities to ensure that transitional justice processes accompany such efforts.
Council members are expected to urge the Syrian interim authorities to pursue accountability measures for recurring instances of sectarian violence, including for the targeting of civilians in Suweida and of Alawite communities in the coastal regions of Latakia and Tartous earlier in March. In this regard, some members may refer to an 11 August report published by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI) on Syria, which said that around 1,400 people, “predominantly civilians”, were killed in the coastal violence. The report concludes that violence was perpetrated by the interim government’s forces and individuals operating alongside them, as well as by “pro-former government fighters”, and that several violations likely amount to war crimes. Council members are likely to call on Damascus to ensure that all perpetrators are brought to justice, regardless of their affiliation, and highlight the importance of inclusive and transparent justice efforts for achieving a successful political transition and sustainable peace in Syria.
Some members may also voice concern over reports of targeted abductions of women in Syria. In a 23 July statement, independent human rights experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council voiced grave alarm over the abduction, disappearance, and abuse of Alawite women and girls since February and highlighted patterns of gender-based violence, forced child marriage and a “glaring lack of effective response” by the Syrian interim government. These Council members may urge Damascus to conduct timely and impartial investigations into these violations, search for any missing persons, and ensure justice and support for survivors.
Another matter which is likely to be raised by several speakers tomorrow is Syria’s political transition process. Between 15 and 20 September, the country is expected to hold an election for its People’s Assembly—the first parliamentary elections to be held following the ouster of former president Bashar al-Assad. The process will reportedly involve the establishment of an electoral college in each of Syria’s governorates to elect two thirds of the 210 seats available. The remaining third will be directly appointed by the interim president. Pedersen and Council members are likely to underscore the need to ensure that the process is fully transparent and representative of all components of Syrian society.
Some speakers may note that the elections are an opportunity for the interim authorities to demonstrate commitment to a genuine and inclusive transition. They may also highlight that the political process should align with the key principles of resolution 2254 of 18 December 2015, which focused on a political solution to the Syrian crisis, and be part of a comprehensive process that involves measures to ensure accountability, foster national unity, bolster security, and lay the groundwork for lasting peace.
