On the situation in Northeast Syria, the violence against civilians and the need to maintain a sustainable ceasefire

B100138/2026

European Parliament resolution on the situation in Northeast Syria, the violence against civilians and the need to maintain a sustainable ceasefire

(2026/2602(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Syria,

– having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas since early January 2026, military and political escalation, intensified clashes between the forces of the Syrian transitional authorities and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and repeated breaches of ceasefires have placed north-east Syria under severe strain, with direct consequences for civilian safety, the humanitarian situation and regional stability;

B. whereas in early January 2026, Kurdish neighbourhoods in Aleppo were also affected by violent incidents, resulting in casualties and the displacement of citizens, with around 148 000 people affected, damage to infrastructure and a further deterioration of humanitarian conditions;

C. whereas reports from several human rights and humanitarian organisations have documented large-scale displacement and urgent humanitarian needs, in particular affecting more than 30 000 individuals across shelter sites, with a high proportion of whom are women and children; whereas electricity, water and internet have been cut in Kobanî, putting more than 250 000 people at risk; whereas several non-governmental organisations and international experts have raised the alarm concerning the risks of ethnic cleansing and severe human rights violations;

D. whereas Syria, and especially the north-east of the country, has for years been affected by armed conflict, foreign military presence, terrorism and dire humanitarian conditions;

E. whereas an agreement between the Syrian transitional authorities and the SDF concerning institutional and security arrangements in north-east Syria was announced on 30 January 2026; whereas the aim of the agreement is to stabilise a fragile ceasefire and initiate steps towards the integration of SDF military and internal security forces into the transitional Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Interior, including withdrawal from front lines, and to guarantee civil and educational rights for Kurdish communities; whereas on 17 January 2026, the Syrian transitional authorities issued Decree No 13, which repeals measures stemming from the 1962 census in the Hasakah Governorate, grants Syrian citizenship to residents of Kurdish origin, including those previously stateless, and is aimed at ensuring equal rights and duties, recognising the Kurdish language as a national language and prohibiting discrimination or incitement on ethnic or linguistic grounds;

F. whereas Kurdish forces, and particularly the SDF, which are part of the Global Coalition, have played a key role in the fight against Daesh and in maintaining stability and local governance in north-east Syria since 2015;

G. whereas the EU remains one of the largest donors addressing the humanitarian and recovery needs arising from the Syrian crisis; whereas at the Ninth Brussels Conference on ‘Standing with Syria: Meeting the Needs for a Successful Transition’, held on 17 March 2025, the EU and its partners pledged approximately EUR 5.8 billion for Syria and the region for 2025 and 2026, of which nearly EUR 2.5 billion was pledged by the EU to support socio-economic recovery, reconstruction and humanitarian assistance;

H. whereas in May 2025, the EU increased its humanitarian response for the region by allocating an additional EUR 20 million in humanitarian aid, specifically noting the precarious conditions in north-east Syria;

I. whereas in January 2026, the President of the Commission and the President of the European Council visited Syria and announced a new political partnership with a view to supporting a peaceful and inclusive transition and reconciliation within Syria, along with a comprehensive financial support package of approximately EUR 620 million for 2026 and 2027; whereas a few weeks later, the Commission announced the mobilisation of EUR 150 million from the EU financial cushion for Syria for the next two years to support the political transition, socio-economic recovery, job creation and capacity building;

J. whereas the EU has taken significant steps to ease economic restrictions on Syria, including the suspension or lifting of certain sanctions affecting key economic sectors such as energy and banking, in support of stabilisation and reconstruction efforts; whereas the Council has imposed restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses by sanctioning three senior military commanders for crimes committed against civilians in the context of a wave of violence in Syria’s coastal region in March 2025;

1. Welcomes the agreement reached on 30 January 2026 between the Syrian transitional authorities and the SDF, and reaffirms its continued and unwavering support for the ceasefire and the integration process, including the recognition of the civil and educational rights of Kurds; underlines the high relevance of the agreement and the ceasefire for the whole of Syria, for the protection of Kurdish civilians and for an inclusive political process, as well as their far-reaching security implications for the whole Middle East region, particularly neighbouring countries;

2. Calls for the full, immediate and effective implementation of all of the provisions of the ceasefire agreement and for the continuation of dialogue; calls on all parties to refrain from any action that could undermine or delay the agreement’s implementation; underlines that the persistent fragility or breach of the ceasefire directly disrupt civilian life, endanger safety, displace Kurdish communities, and limit access to health facilities, essential services, freedom of movement, humanitarian access and supply routes;

3. Calls for the EU and its Member States to actively support the implementation of the ceasefire, ensure respect for fundamental rights and inclusive governance, and monitor all tangible progress;

4. Expresses deep concern about the ongoing humanitarian situation in north-east Syria and Aleppo, the volatile security situation in the area, and the acute needs of civilians affected by fighting, displacement and disruption to basic infrastructure and services;

5. Insists that the implementation of the recent political agreement must fully protect fundamental rights, including political, cultural and linguistic rights, guarantee the peaceful coexistence of all of Syria’s communities and ensure that local populations are not targeted by ethnically or religiously motivated reprisals and forced displacement;

6. Stresses that the stability of north-east Syria is essential for the success of the country’s political transition and for the whole Middle East; believes that any sustainable political arrangement must be based on an inclusive and democratic process that represents all of Syria’s communities;

7. Reiterates its support for a rights-based constitutional settlement that guarantees the collective rights of Kurds and of all of Syria’s communities, while upholding the fundamental principles of Syria’s territorial integrity and the protection of all citizens;

8. Calls on the Syrian transitional authorities to implement core UN conventions and to accede to the optional protocols of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women;

9. Strongly reiterates the need to preserve and further consolidate the social, political and human rights progress achieved in north-east Syria, particularly with regard to gender equality; calls on the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to actively support the political, cultural and self-governance rights of the Kurdish community in Syria;

10. Affirms that lasting stability in north-east Syria can be strengthened by ensuring prompt and efficient solutions that allow the safe and dignified return of displaced persons, and by establishing accountability mechanisms and ensuring access to international justice for war crimes and crimes against humanity and cooperation with international justice bodies;

11. Considers that recent tensions in north-east Syria underscore the ongoing fragility of recent truces and the implementation of earlier political agreements, with missed deadlines and differing interpretations of previous accords contributing to renewed hostilities and mistrust between parties; calls on the Commission to explore the establishment and deployment of a monitoring and assistance mission with a view to supporting the agreement, its implementation, and stability in Syria;

12. Calls on the Commission to ensure that the comprehensive financial support package of around EUR 620 million for 2026 and 2027 benefits all communities in Syria equally, and that strict and measurable benchmarks are included to allow the Commission to respond effectively to any further violations of international humanitarian law or undermining of principles of transitional justice;

13. Recognises the crucial role of the SDF in combating Daesh; calls on the Syrian transitional authorities and the international community to continue focusing on the fight against Daesh and on the destruction of chemical weapon stockpiles, landmines and cluster munitions; highlights the importance of the Global Coalition maintaining full control over detention facilities holding former Daesh fighters; calls for particular attention to be paid to the conditions of women detained in these camps; is concerned that any destabilisation in this regard would have serious consequences for regional and international security, endanger civilians and undermine local democratic structures;

14. Supports the work of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic and calls for continued international investigations into all violations committed since January 2026; calls on the Commission to increase its support to Syrian human rights organisations that document human rights violations and work on transitional justice;

15. Calls on the Commission to allocate the necessary resources to address to the humanitarian emergency in north-east Syria, particularly in the city of Kobanî, and to increase financial support for on-the-ground actions addressing humanitarian relief, development, peacebuilding and security sector reform; calls, furthermore, on the Commission and the European External Action Service to assume an active diplomatic role in supporting the 30 January integration agreement and its implementation;

16. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Syrian transitional government and the parliaments of the Member States; calls for this resolution to be translated into Arabic and Kurdish.