The undersigned organizations are closely monitoring, with deep concern, the humanitarian and security situation in northeastern Syria following the signing of the agreement reached between the cand the Syrian Democratic Forces on 21st January. The agreement aims to establish a ceasefire and to take steps toward integration within the Syrian state. As the four-day period stipulated in the agreement approaches its end, and at a moment marked by fear, widespread displacement, and renewed violence, the transition from armed confrontation to pathways centered on the protection of civilians, the safeguarding of the rights and dignity of the Syrian people, dialogue, and political solutions is of critical importance and must be preserved and strengthened.
In recent days, there has been a dangerous escalation of violence in the city of Aleppo and in several areas of northern and eastern Syria, accompanied by large-scale displacement and a significant deterioration of humanitarian conditions. During this period, serious violations of international law have been reported by both parties to the conflict against the Syrian people, in many cases amounting to collective punishment for the purposes of political pressure. The undersigned organizations call for an independent and impartial investigation into all alleged violations committed by all parties to the conflict, within the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI), and for the prosecution of all individuals found to be responsible for these violations.
As a result of this escalation and increasing violence, widespread displacement has been reported in northeastern Syria, affecting more than 134,000 people over a short period of time, according to the United Nations. The displaced have arrived in the cities of Qamishli, Amuda, al-Malikiyah/Derik, and Kobani. Many displaced persons face severe shortages of shelter, food, and humanitarian assistance, amid harsh weather conditions that further exacerbate their vulnerability. Given the critical humanitarian situation and the military encirclement of several areas, including Kobani, the undersigned organizations demand that the Syrian Transitional Government ensure the adoption of all necessary measures to restore essential services (electricity, water, food, internet, and medicines) to residents of the affected areas, open safe humanitarian corridors, and facilitate the work of humanitarian organizations to mitigate the impact of displacement on the population.
This escalation has generated deep fears among residents, particularly in Kobani and al-Hasakah, regarding the entry of the Syrian Transitional Government; fears that cannot be separated from the cumulative impact of past violations and their enduring legacy on local communities, and the profound lack of trust they have produced. This reality underscores the central importance of trust-building and the serious consequences of its absence. Trust cannot be imposed or extracted by force; rather, it must be earned through concrete steps, including the protection of civilians, the regulation of the conduct of armed actors, ensuring accountability for violations, restoring rights (including property, land, and housing rights) and engaging in genuine and effective dialogue with all Syrians.
Accordingly, the undersigned organizations call on both the Syrian Transitional Government and the Syrian Democratic Forces to fulfill their legal obligations to protect civilians and prevent any harm to them, and to take effective and tangible measures to prevent any act or rhetoric that could incite violence, inflame societal tensions, or deepen divisions among Syrians, given the direct threat this poses to civil peace and the serious legal responsibilities it may entail. In light of incidents of communal violence that occurred in 2025, both the Syrian Transitional Government and the Syrian Democratic Forces bear heightened obligations to ensure effective protection for all at-risk communities and to take proactive and concrete measures to prevent any form of collective violence or harm against Syrians and to guarantee non-recurrence of violations.
In this context, the undersigned organizations affirm that any approach to Kurdish national rights, including those referenced in Presidential Decree No. 13, must begin first and foremost with serious and open dialogue with the Kurdish communities themselves, and must evolve in line with their collective visions and aspirations. We further stress that any recognition of rights is incomplete unless it is translated into legal guarantees and constitutional protections that are safeguarded from manipulation and provide effective protection on the ground, including the adoption of explicit measures to prevent any form of collective punishment against Kurdish communities or any other component.
We further emphasize the urgent need to confront hate speech and incitement and to ensure accountability for it. Incendiary rhetoric, dehumanizing narratives, and misinformation fuel fear, legitimize violence, and place civilians at risk. They also undermine efforts to rebuild trust between communities and perpetuate cycles of grievance and revenge. All parties, including media outlets, must act responsibly and refrain from using language that promotes hatred, justifies violations against any societal group, or spreads rumors. We also stress the necessity of ensuring unconditional access for documentation groups and international and independent media to guarantee transparent documentation and coverage.
The undersigned organizations also emphasize the need to approach security developments from the perspective of the rights of victims of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance, and to uphold the duty to protect files, documents, detention facilities, and prisons. We further call on the Syrian Transitional Government to act transparently and to share information regarding the files of detained ISIS members accused of crimes, the files of the organization’s missing persons and victims, and the files of detainees and missing persons in the prisons of the Transitional Government, and the prisons of the Syrian Democratic Forces, including those recently detained.
We affirm that both the Syrian Transitional Government and the Syrian Democratic Forces bear joint responsibility for the Syria that is being built today. No one is beyond accountability, and no political or military objective can justify violations of human rights. All parties bear responsibility not only for ending the violence, but also for ensuring that new grievances are not created that could harm the future of the Syrian people. The interests, safety, and dignity of Syrians must take precedence over considerations of power, control, or influence. This agreement should represent a genuine turning point, replacing the use of force with restraint, violence with dialogue, and placing the rights and dignity of all Syrians at the foundation of the country’s future.
In conclusion, the undersigned organizations call for the opening of effective channels of communication with civil society organizations operating in areas affected by recent events, and for the launch of a serious discussion regarding the guarantees and reassurances provided to the population, especially in a context where such guarantees are often offered to military actors rather than to civilians. The organizations further stress the necessity of genuinely and effectively involving representatives of the population in any security or administrative arrangements that affect their lives and rights, and affirm their readiness to contribute to any effort aimed at reducing tensions and preventing bloodshed.
Signatories organisations:
1. The Syria Campaign
2. Women Now for Development
3. Prisons Museum
4. Syrian Legal Development Programme (SLDP)
5. Lelun Association for Victims
6. Synergy Association for Victims
7. Citizens for Syria
8. The Day After
9. Hevy for Relief and Development
10. Syrian Foundation for Research and Sustainable Development
11. For Feminist
12. Abktar
13. Muzn
14. Transformative Pathways
15. Equal Citizenship Center
16. DAR Association for Victims of Forced Displacement
17. Missing Person’s Families Platform in North East Syria
18. Dawlaty
19. Seen for Civil Peace
20. Insight Organisation
21. Civil Society Enablement Unit (CSEU)
22. White Hope Organization
23. Access Center for Human Rights (ACHR)
24. Syrian Center for Studies and Dialogue (SCSD)
25. Vejin Initiative
26. Dar Justice
27. Syrians for Truth and Justice
28. Justice for Life
29. Media for Women
30. Kesh Malek
31. Syrian Network in Denmark
32. Ashna for Development
33. Baytna
34. Jian Humanitarian Organisation
35. The Kurdish Legal Studies Center (YASA)
36. PÊL- Civil Waves
37. Impact
38. Ella Organisation for Development and Peacebuilding
39. Huquqyat
40. Malva Organisation for Arts, Culture and Education
41. ASO Centre for Consultancy and Strategic Studies
42. Bidayetna
43. Humanitarian and Development Cooperation (HDC)
44. Local Development and Small Projects Support (LDSPS)
45. Demos
46. Center for Civil Society and Democracy
47. Salam for Hope Foundation
48. Taafi Initiative
49. Kurdish Journalists Network
50. ADAD
51. Syrian Women’s Association
52. Caesar Files for Justice
53. Nujin Society for Community Development
54. RE for Rehabilitation and Development
55. Humanitarian Independent Message Organisation
56. ARAS
57. Human Rights Guardians
58. DAN for Relief and Development
59. Network of Statelessness Victims in al-Hasakah (NSVH)
60. Truth Guardians