On Thursday, January 15, 2026, an SDF security force raided the Albu Khamis neighborhood in the town of Daranj, east of Deir ez-Zor province, and carried out an arrest campaign that resulted in the detention of seven civilians, who were taken to an unknown location. The area is under SDF control.
According to information obtained by the Syrian Network for Human Rights from reliable local sources, the raid was accompanied by theft of money and vandalism of private property within the neighborhood. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have not issued any official statement regarding the reasons for the arrests or the charges against those detained, nor were any legal arrest warrants presented.
We are continuing our investigations, including reviewing and gathering further evidence and information. Therefore, we urge anyone with information or details related to this incident to provide them to us via our official email address: [email protected]
Legal Conclusions:
- This arrest, carried out without a formal warrant, without clear charges being brought, and without the detainees being brought before a competent judicial authority, constitutes a violation of Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which prohibits arbitrary arrest and requires that the detainee be informed of the reason for their arrest and be given the right to challenge it before a court.
- Taking the detainees to an unknown location and preventing them from contacting their families or lawyers constitutes enforced disappearance, which is prohibited under the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. This convention affirms the right of detainees to know their whereabouts and to be protected from ill-treatment.
- The degrading manner in which the arrest was carried out falls under the category of torture, which is prohibited at all times.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights recommends:
- The immediate and unconditional release of those detained in this incident, or their appearance before a civilian court that meets the standards of a fair trial, if there are genuine legal charges against them.
- A transparent and independent investigation into the circumstances of their detention, particularly the allegations of degrading treatment, with those responsible for the violations being held accountable.
- Enabling them to communicate with their families and legal representatives, and ensuring their physical and psychological safety during their detention, in accordance with international standards.
