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Over 112,000 People Still Forcibly Disappeared in Syria

Demonstrators hold photos of missing people in the Umayyad Square in Damascus on Saturday (AFP)
Demonstrators hold photos of missing people in the Umayyad Square in Damascus on Saturday (AFP)
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Over 112,000 People Still Forcibly Disappeared in Syria

Demonstrators hold photos of missing people in the Umayyad Square in Damascus on Saturday (AFP)
Demonstrators hold photos of missing people in the Umayyad Square in Damascus on Saturday (AFP)

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) has reported that at least 112,414 people remain forcibly disappeared in Syria, primarily due to crimes committed by the Assad regime, despite the release of thousands of detainees in recent weeks.

Fadel Abdul Ghany, the director of SNHR, told Asharq Al-Awsat that their database implicates 6,724 members of the regime’s forces in these crimes. He also confirmed that SNHR is ready to provide detailed information on key perpetrators within the Assad regime.

The report shed light on the ongoing humanitarian disaster caused by arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances in Syria, even after the opening of regime detention centers and the discovery of several mass graves.

The release of detainees coincided with military operations launched by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) that resulted in the recapture of major cities, including Aleppo, Hama, Homs, and Damascus. In the process, prisons and security facilities were opened, and all detainees were released.

Additionally, mass graves containing the remains of thousands of victims executed extrajudicially were discovered in recent weeks. According to the SNHR report, these findings underscore the systematic nature of crimes committed by the Bashar al-Assad regime.

The SNHR estimates that around 24,200 people have been released since the opening of regime prisons. However, as of August 2024, their database shows a total of 136,614 individuals detained or forcibly disappeared, meaning that over 112,414 people are still unaccounted for.

The report emphasized that these individuals are considered forcibly disappeared because their remains have not been returned to their families, and no information about their fate has been disclosed.

Fadel Abdul Ghany stressed to Asharq Al-Awsat that holding those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria accountable is a “legal and moral imperative” to achieve justice for victims and prevent future violations.

He highlighted that documenting these crimes, a process undertaken by SNHR and other organizations over the past decade, is a critical step toward accountability. SNHR has developed a comprehensive database that includes a list of 16,200 individuals involved in committing these crimes. Among them are 6,724 members of regime forces, including the army and security apparatus, and 9,476 members of pro-regime militias and auxiliary groups formed after the Syrian uprising in 2011.

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Arab World

War Shakes Middle East Airports, Passengers Held Hostage

Passengers wait at Beirut airport amid disruptions caused by Israeli-Iranian conflict (EPA)
Passengers wait at Beirut airport amid disruptions caused by Israeli-Iranian conflict (EPA)
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War Shakes Middle East Airports, Passengers Held Hostage

Passengers wait at Beirut airport amid disruptions caused by Israeli-Iranian conflict (EPA)
Passengers wait at Beirut airport amid disruptions caused by Israeli-Iranian conflict (EPA)

The Israeli-Iranian war has severely disrupted air traffic across the Middle East, causing widespread airport closures and forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights.

Travelers have been left stranded or forced to reroute their journeys amid altered takeoff and landing schedules, with many airports affected by military use of their airspace by both Tel Aviv and Tehran for warplanes, missiles, and drones.

Thousands of passengers have had to substitute flights with land or sea travel to avoid danger or endure long waits for alternate air transport.

Since the Israeli airstrikes on Iran that began in the early hours of last Friday, followed by Iran’s retaliatory drone and missile attacks, the airspace over Israel, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq has been closed.

Aviation sources reported that more than 650 flights bound for Europe were canceled. Gulf and European carriers have suspended flights to countries caught in the conflict zone.

Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that airlines are now using safer flight routes, deliberately avoiding Iraqi, Syrian, Jordanian, and Lebanese airspace, as well as the fully closed skies of Israel and Iran.

Some carriers operating emergency flights to Beirut, Amman, and Egypt are following strict safety protocols.

Flights departing Beirut airport are routed westward over the Mediterranean Sea toward Cyprus and then Greece, before continuing to Europe or the Gulf, deliberately avoiding Lebanese, Syrian, and Iraqi airspace—a sharp contrast to pre-conflict routes.

Several Arab and European airlines, including Emirates, flydubai, Etihad, Air France, Transavia, Lufthansa, Ethiopian Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and Pegasus, continue to suspend flights to the region. The disruption has hit operations at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport, which experienced chaos in the initial days of the war and widespread passenger panic.

However, the airport has since begun stabilizing. Amin Jaber, Director General of Civil Aviation at Rafic Hariri Airport, said the facility “has overcome the initial disruption quickly by implementing swift solutions for stranded travelers.”

He added that a newly formed crisis management committee is closely monitoring risks hour by hour to keep flights clear of security threats.

Jaber confirmed that the conflict “has forced the crisis committee to adopt multiple flight paths for arrivals and departures at Rafic Hariri Airport.”

“Due to security concerns, we rely on the western runway, which is the safest, and use Cypriot airspace to steer aircraft away from missile threats. Whenever missile launches are detected, Lebanese airspace is immediately closed to all flights,” Jaber added.

The disruptions seen at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport mirror the wider chaos across the region’s airports. Jaber said all airlines operating arrivals and departures at Beirut have comprehensive risk assessments in place.

Beirut airport experienced significant turmoil during the first two days of the conflict, with hundreds of passengers forced to wait indefinitely after numerous flight cancellations and schedule changes.

Many opted to leave the airport and return to the city amid the uncertainty. Jaber noted that conditions have since improved both at Beirut and other airports that have partially suspended operations.

Before any civilian aircraft takes off or lands, airport authorities and airlines ensure no immediate threats jeopardize the safety of planes or passengers.

Former Middle East Airlines (MEA) pilot Mohammad Aziz told Asharq Al-Awsat that flight safety responsibility rests not with pilots alone, but with the risk assessment committees, civil aviation authorities, airport management, and air traffic control towers guiding pilots during flight.

Aziz revealed that planes are equipped with large fuel reserves allowing extended flight time to accommodate emergencies requiring route changes or longer airborne holding patterns.

Currently serving as a safety and security advisor to MEA’s chairman, Captain Aziz highlighted that Rafic Hariri Airport is among the least vulnerable to missile threats because its flight paths are directed west and north. He warned, however, that the greatest danger lies in flights over Syrian territory.

“Despite this,” Aziz said, “Beirut airport management exercises the utmost caution. The control tower and airport authorities remain on high alert, maintaining constant communication with pilots to reroute or divert flights to alternate airports if evolving conditions threaten aircraft and passengers.”