Syria's Fragile Transition Faces Setbacks One Year On

One year after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s transition remains fragile, with ongoing cycles of violence, vengeance, and reprisal threatening long-term peace, according to UN investigators.

Syria marked the first anniversary of Assad’s overthrow on December 8, 2024, after Islamist-led forces launched a rapid offensive that ended nearly 14 years of war.

The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria, tasked with investigating human rights violations since 2011, acknowledged Syria's progress in addressing past crimes. However, it warned that the post-Assad period has seen renewed violence and deepening division, fueling concern about the future.

The commission condemned the "industrial criminal violence" of Assad’s regime, which left a "horrific catalogue" of abuses. It stressed the need to break the cycles of vengeance and reprisal for Syria to move towards a stable future that guarantees human rights, equality, and the rule of law for all.

"While some celebrate this anniversary, others face renewed displacement and insecurity," the commission noted. "Many still sleep in tents this winter, and thousands remain missing, adding to the nation's wounds."

The commission emphasized that rebuilding Syria will require great strength, patience, and international support. "The Syrian people deserve peace and full respect for the rights long denied to them," it concluded, reaffirming its commitment to holding perpetrators of violations accountable.