The committee tasked by the Syrian President for the transitional phase, Ahmed al-Sharaa, to investigate and ascertain the facts regarding the Syrian coastal events, clarified its working mechanism during a press conference held in Damascus today, Tuesday, March 11.

The spokesperson for the committee, attorney Yasser al-Farhan, explained that the committee will set a program to interview witnesses and anyone who can assist in the investigation, identify the locations that need to be visited, and establish communication mechanisms with the committee, which will be announced soon.

Al-Farhan stated that the committee will be present on the ground and will listen to eyewitnesses, not relying solely on what is published on social media or recorded clips.

He added that they will disclose the results of the committee’s investigations and will commit to safeguarding the privacy of witnesses, presenting these results to the judiciary and competent courts.

He confirmed that the committee is preparing lists of potential witnesses while ensuring protection for any witness who requests to provide testimony under a witness protection program.

Al-Farhan asserted that “no one is above the law,” emphasizing that the committee will present its findings to the presidency and the judiciary, which will criminalize or acquit based on the results.

According to al-Farhan, the committee is tasked with uncovering the causes, circumstances, and conditions that led to the occurrence of these events and investigating the violations suffered by civilians.

It will also work to identify the perpetrators and investigate the assaults on public institutions and security and army personnel, determining accountability and referring those proven to be “involved in committing crimes and violations” to the judiciary.

The investigation committee

On March 9, the Syrian President for the transitional phase, Ahmed al-Sharaa, formed a committee composed of five judges, an officer, and a lawyer to investigate the bloody events that resulted from the pursuit of elements of the previous regime, who attempted to control vast areas in the coastal cities of western Syria.

The events began on March 6 and lasted for about two days, resulting in casualties among General Security personnel and violations against civilians by the “remnants of the previous regime” and security forces, as well as factions linked to the Syrian state, in addition to the destruction and theft of public and private properties.

In this context, the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) documented the killing of 803 individuals between March 6 and 8 in the provinces of Latakia, Tartus, and Hama.

It stated that the violations occurred following an attack by what it termed “armed groups operating outside the state’s framework and linked to the Assad regime,” which carried out coordinated attacks targeting security and military sites affiliated with the Ministries of Defense and Interior in the interim government.

The attacks prompted the government to launch extensive operations involving foreign Islamic factions and groups that are “formally” part of the Ministry of Defense, along with local armed civilian groups, quickly escalating into violent confrontations during which grave widespread violations occurred.

According to the SNHR, local factions and foreign Islamic groups affiliated “formally” with the Ministry of Defense played a prominent role in committing violations, most of which were characterized by a retaliatory and sectarian nature.