On Thursday, August 7, 2025, Bashir Al-Batran, 25, and Jumaa Al-Hasho Al-Sayer, 22, both from the village of Maghluja in the western countryside of Hasakah Governorate, died when a tunnel being dug by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) collapsed in the Jabal Abdul Aziz area near the village. Yasser Al-Batran was also injured and rescued. The area is under SDF control.
According to information obtained by the Syrian Network for Human Rights from local sources, the collapsed tunnel was approximately 20 meters deep vertically and 10 meters horizontally, and the three workers were inside at the time of the collapse. Two days after the incident (August 9, 2025), rescue teams found the bodies of Bashir and Jumaa, while Yasser was rescued alive. The tunnel is being used by the Syrian Democratic Forces for military purposes.
Legal Conclusions:
- The Syrian Democratic Forces’ digging of extensive tunnels in areas under their control, especially near residential areas, poses a direct threat to the safety of civilians, given their use for military purposes. This could make surrounding neighborhoods potential targets for attacks or cross-border shelling.
- These practices indicate a lack of transparency and a low level of commitment to international humanitarian law, as no consultations or preventive measures were conducted to protect the civilian population, nor were steps taken to reduce the risks resulting from these actions.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights’ recommendations:
- Open an independent and transparent investigation into the locations and objectives of these tunnels, and assess the extent of their direct threat to civilians. The investigation should be supervised by a neutral party.
- Oblige the Syrian Democratic Forces to cease digging tunnels around residential areas and remove or close those that pose a threat to civilians.
- Ensure that local communities are involved in security and military decisions that may affect their safety, and provide appropriate compensation in the event of harm resulting from these activities.
- Calling on the United Nations and international organizations to monitor the situation on the ground and ensure all parties adhere to international humanitarian law.
- Holding the transitional government in Damascus fully responsible for protecting Syrian civilians throughout Syria and working to end all practices that endanger them, including the digging of military tunnels within or near residential areas.
