‘Targeting Civilians Is a Grave Violation’: Watchdog Documents Deaths of Americans in Syria A new report from the Syrian Network for Human Rights finds that 11 US citizens were killed or disappeared during Syria’s civil war, and calls for accountability By Rizik Alabi/The Media Line [Damascus] — The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) has […]
World
The Media Line: ‘Targeting Civilians Is a Grave Violation’: Watchdog Documents Deaths of Americans in Syria
Audio By Carbonatix
‘Targeting Civilians Is a Grave Violation’: Watchdog Documents Deaths of Americans in Syria
A new report from the Syrian Network for Human Rights finds that 11 US citizens were killed or disappeared during Syria’s civil war, and calls for accountability
By Rizik Alabi/The Media Line
[Damascus] — The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) has released a report revealing that at least 11 US citizens have been killed or forcibly disappeared in Syria from the outbreak of the armed conflict in March 2011 through May 2025.
The Syrian conflict began in 2011 with peaceful protests calling for political reform, but it quickly escalated into a complex armed struggle involving the Bashar Assad regime, various opposition groups, extremist organizations such as IS, and multiple foreign interventions.
This complexity has plunged Syria into one of the most severe humanitarian crises in modern history, displacing millions and resulting in widespread, systematic human rights violations.
The report is based on SNHR’s verified database and field-based documentation efforts. The organization is one of the leading independent human rights groups monitoring violations in Syria.
According to the report, six American civilians—including one woman—were killed during the conflict. Assad regime forces were responsible for the deaths of three civilians, including a woman who died under torture and a journalist. The Islamic State was deemed responsible for the deaths of three civilians, including two journalists and one humanitarian medical worker.
Additionally, the report also documents five cases of enforced disappearance involving American citizens, including one woman. Four are attributed to the Syrian regime, while the fifth is linked to unidentified actors.
The report emphasizes that targeting civilians—even foreign nationals—is a grave violation of international humanitarian law, particularly the principles of distinction and proportionality in armed conflict. It also notes that enforced disappearance is an ongoing crime, with responsibility continuing until the victim’s fate or whereabouts are clarified.
The SNHR also included recommendations, including those to the UN Security Council, calling for targeted sanctions against individuals implicated in serious violations, particularly senior security and military officials within the Assad regime.
For the international community, the SNHR urges financial and technical support for rights organizations working to document violations in Syria. The report also called on the US government to increase efforts to investigate the cases of US citizens killed or disappeared in Syria, and to provide legal, material, and emotional support to their families.