Syria on Friday welcomed a landmark United Nations resolution aimed at investigating human rights violations and supporting justice efforts following the country’s 13-year civil war that ravaged the nation under former President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
The resolution was passed without opposition at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, reflecting a shift in international support toward Syria’s new transitional government, which came to power after rebels seized Damascus in December, forcing Assad to flee to Russia.
Syria’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Haydar Ali Ahmad, hailed the resolution, saying it would help bolster the country’s reform efforts: “Such international support serves as a strong incentive to continue the path of reform.”
The new government, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, is under international pressure to demonstrate a clear break from the Assad regime’s legacy — which includes the disappearance of over 100,000 people, the use of chemical weapons, and systematic torture.
Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani called the country’s active role in drafting the resolution a point of national pride: “We are proud of Syria’s positive and constructive participation in drafting the resolution for the first time,” he posted on X.
The resolution urges the Syrian government to cooperate with investigations and support the Commission of Inquiry probing crimes committed since the war began in 2011.
British Ambassador to the UN, Simon Manley, stressed the importance of justice and accountability, citing the recent mass killing of hundreds of Alawite civilians — the sect to which Assad belonged — as “a chilling reminder of the deep wounds from the conflict.”
International observers see Syria’s participation and acceptance of the resolution as a hopeful signal of transition, but emphasize that concrete actions must follow to heal the nation and deliver justice to its victims.
