65 Civilians, Including One Child and Two Women, Killed by SDF Snipers in Two Months in Aleppo city
On November 29, 2024, the Military Operations Command groups managed to take control of most of Aleppo city, except for the neighborhoods controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in the course of Operation Deter Aggression, which targeted areas then under the Assad regime’s control.
A series of sniper attacks in Aleppo city
Since the announcement that forces of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and pro-Assad militias left Aleppo city on November 29, 2024, thousands of civilians and fighters, both from the city itself and from other cities and areas, have returned to or arrived in Aleppo city to visit, take photos, assess the situation there, or inspect their properties. Some of these individuals were wearing military attire and carrying their weapons while moving around, whether in vehicles or on motorcycles.
With the entry of factions under the Military Operations Command into Aleppo city on Friday, November 29, 2024, as part of Operation Deter Aggression and the beginning of the withdrawal of Assad regime forces from the city’s eastern neighborhoods, the SDF exploited the resulting military vacuum in the besieged Kurdish areas to rapidly expand its presence in neighborhoods adjacent to al-Sheikh Maqsoud and al-Ashrafiya, reinforcing its control by deploying small groups of military personnel at the entrances to these neighborhoods and in their streets, as well as positioning large numbers of snipers around exposed areas—an effort aimed at consolidating its control and securing strategic positions.
During these operations, SDF forces expanded into several neighborhoods, including: al-Siryan, al-Midan, al-Hollok, B'eidein, and al-Haydariya, as well as areas leading to the central al-Jandoul Roundabout and al-Khalidiya, which overlooks al-Layramoun Roundabout, and parts of the Bustan al-Basha neighborhood. They also managed to position forces monitoring al-Sakhour Roundabout, parts of Nile Street, and al-Layramoun Roundabout. Additionally, they took control of the Castello Road, which connects the al-Layramoun and al-Jandoul Roundabouts via the al-Shuqayf area, along with parts of al-Sabeel neighborhood from the eastern side.
Civilian death toll
SNHR documented that SDF military personnel, particularly those stationed primarily in al-Sheikh Maqsoud and al-Ashrafiya neighborhoods in Aleppo city, have been carrying out widespread and repeated sniper attacks that deliberately targeted civilians.
Between November 30, 2024, and January 30, 2025, SNHR documented the killing of at least 65 civilians, including one child, two women, and two humanitarian workers, at the hands of SDF snipers in Aleppo city. The deaths of numerous fighters were also recorded.
During the same period, SNHR documented dozens of reports of people going missing when they either approached or entered SDF-controlled areas, with their fate remaining unknown to date.
Difficulty retrieving victims' bodies
Due to SDF snipers’ continued surveillance of areas surrounding al-Sheikh Maqsoud and al-Ashrafiya, as well as their indiscriminate targeting of movement, the Syrian Red Crescent and the Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets) have faced significant difficulties in reaching and retrieving some of the victims’ bodies. Several documented incidents have involved these teams being directly fired upon while attempting to recover the victims.
Legal conclusions
The sniper attacks carried out by SDF in Aleppo city constitute a grave violation of international humanitarian law and a blatant breach of fundamental human rights principles, foremost among them the right to life. Documented evidence confirms that these operations were not random but were systematically executed by SDF snipers targeting civilians. This suggests a premeditated intent to kill and a deliberate violation of the principle of distinction between combatants and civilians, a cornerstone of international humanitarian law.
1. Violation of the right to life
The right to life is a fundamental human right enshrined in Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which states that “Every human being has the inherent right to life. This right shall be protected by law. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life.” However, the sniper attacks conducted by SDF against civilians in Aleppo city constitute a direct violation of this right, particularly as they targeted individuals not engaged in combat, including women, children, and humanitarian workers.
2. Violation of the principle of distinction in international humanitarian law
Parties to a conflict must distinguish between civilians and combatants at all times, and target only military objectives. However, evidence presented in the report indicates that SDF did not adhere to this principle, as its snipers deliberately targeted civilians despite their clear non-involvement in any military activities. Indiscriminate attacks that fail to distinguish between civilians and combatants are prohibited, including intentional attacks against civilians. This prohibition applies to the systematic sniper attacks carried out by SDF.
3. War crime under Article 8 of the Rome Statue
The systematic sniping operations targeting civilians constitute a war crime under Article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which classifies willful killing as a war crime. The use of sniping as a direct means of targeting civilians, despite their clearly identifiable civilian status, reflects a premeditated intent to kill. This falls under serious violations of international humanitarian law and necessitates international criminal prosecution.
4. Targeting humanitarian workers
Targeting two humanitarian workers through sniping constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, which explicitly prohibits any attacks against them while performing their humanitarian duties. Moreover, the targeting of teams attempting to retrieve the bodies reflects a systematic strategy to obstruct rescue and relief operations, amounting to a war crime.
5. SDF’s legal responsibility
Given the aforementioned violations, SDF bears criminal responsibility under international law for these crimes. Their actions can be classified as war crimes, and their leaders may be held directly accountable for these violations, whether for issuing orders or for willfully ignoring their execution.
Legal recommendations for stakeholders and decision-makers
Based on the legal conclusions affirming that SDF have committed grave violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, international actors and relevant authorities must take urgent steps to hold those responsible accountable, ensure civilian protection, and prevent the recurrence of such heinous violations. In this context, the following recommendations is presented
1. To the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic (COI)
Conduct a comprehensive investigation into the sniping crimes targeting civilians in Aleppo city, and gather documented evidence and testimonies for submission to relevant judicial bodies.
Cooperate with local human rights organizations to collect evidence and analyze patterns indicating the systematic targeting of civilians by SDF.
2. To the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Issue a clear condemnation of the sniping operations against civilians in Aleppo and emphasize that these violations constitute war crimes under Article 8 of the Rome Statute.
Demand official clarifications from the authorities responsible for SDF regarding these crimes and call for serious measures to hold those involved accountable.
3. To the New Syrian Government
As the legally responsible authority for protecting all citizens within Syrian territory, the new government must:
Take all necessary measures to protect civilians, particularly in areas experiencing sniper attacks, and ensure such violations do not recur.
Launch official investigations into the sniping operations targeting civilians and hold those responsible accountable in accordance with Syrian law.
4. To Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)
Conduct an independent internal investigation into all documented sniping incidents and disclose the direct perpetrators of these operations.
Hold accountable those involved in targeting civilians and take strict legal measures against them in accordance with international standards.
Provide assurances that such violations will not be repeated and adhere to international humanitarian law principles, including the principle of distinction between civilians and combatants.
Cooperate with international and human rights bodies to ensure transparency in investigations and judicial proceedings related to these crimes.
Cease any practices that endanger civilians and withdraw snipers from areas directly impacting civilian lives.
5. To the international community and the UN Security Council
Countries supporting SDF should suspend all forms of aid and assistance, making them conditional on SDF’s adherence to human rights protections for Syrian civilians.
Impose sanctions on leaders involved in targeting civilians, including freezing financial assets and imposing travel restrictions.
Provide legal and technical support to victims and their families to assist them in filing lawsuits before national and international courts.
Strengthen diplomatic efforts to find a sustainable solution to the issue of northeastern Syria.
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