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

B100139/2026

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 on 6 January 2026, deadly clashes erupted between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and government forces in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo; whereas over the following weeks the Syrian army has violently closed in on the Raqqa, Hasakah and Deir Ezzor governorates;

B. whereas the clashes have resulted in civilian casualties and severe displacement, leaving approximately 400 000 people without electricity, water and food and more than 170 000 internally displaced people across the Aleppo, Hasakah, and Raqqa governorates, including large concentrations in Qamishli and Al-Malikiyah; whereas the sharp drop in temperatures, a total lack of heating fuel and critical shortages of essential medical supplies have further exacerbated the already dire situation, including causing the death of a number of children;

C. whereas on 16 January 2026, Syrian President al-Sharaa issued a presidential decree which officially recognised the Syrian Kurdish identity and Kurdish as a national language, and granted citizenship rights to Syrian Kurds; whereas the Syrian Kurdish leadership welcomed this step, but demanded that such rights be enshrined in the constitution;

D. whereas a new ceasefire and integration agreement between the Syrian Government and the SDF was announced on 30 January 2026; whereas the agreement revolves around the phased integration of the SDF’s military and administration into the Syrian Government’s institutions, and the appointment of local officials and a new governor of the Hasakah province from the ranks of the SDF; whereas under the new agreement the Syrian Government will expand its control of all civilian institutions in the Hasakah governorate and integrate the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) into Syrian state institutions, thus dealing a fatal blow to the Kurdish people’s legitimate and democratic aspirations;

E. whereas in the wake of the agreement, the SDF has lost control of critical gas and oil facilities vital to the region’s prosperity and is now being forced to cede control of border crossings, refugee camps and detention centres; whereas key Kurdish cities, such as Hasakah, Qamishli and Kobane, are now under the full control of the Syrian army;

F. whereas the recent clashes have raised grave concerns regarding the security situation around detention centres and camps across the Hasakah governorate, in particular in al-Hol and Roj; whereas these centres house thousands of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) fighters, including women and children linked to these fighters; whereas the SDF has historically played a pivotal role in combating ISIL and has been an essential partner in the Global Coalition Against Daesh, overseeing the imprisonment of a large number of ISIL fighters across north-east Syria with the support of the United States and other international partners;

1. Expresses grave concern over the recent violence across north-east Syria, which has resulted in mass displacement and high numbers of casualties among the civilian population; stresses that the volatile situation in these areas has triggered serious security risks, in particular owing to the escape of ISIL fighters; calls on the international coalition, including the United States, to take all necessary measures to mitigate this security risk without delay and calls for the EU to provide the necessary support to this end;

2. Deplores the human rights violations perpetrated in recent weeks, in particular against the Kurdish population, including several incidents of desecrated corpses, both male and female, vandalism of burial grounds and the reported use of unguided munitions in civilian areas; calls for a swift investigation into the reported crimes against civilians committed by both government forces and militias; calls on the Syrian authorities to provide all relevant UN bodies, including the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arabic Republic, with full and transparent access;

3. Takes note of the agreement reached on 30 January 2026 between the Syrian authorities and the SDF; stresses the importance of a full and durable cessation of hostilities to enable the provision of humanitarian aid, the protection of civilians and the return of internally displaced persons; underlines that the stability of north-east Syria is key to the success of an inclusive, sustainable and democratic political transition;

4. Recalls that the overall humanitarian situation remains dire, as the affected governorates urgently require humanitarian assistance such as shelter and resources to cope with winter conditions, food support, and access to safe water, healthcare and protection services, particularly for children and other vulnerable groups; stresses that severely damaged infrastructure, the presence of land mines and other explosive hazards, movement restrictions and ongoing security concerns continue to constrain humanitarian access and limit any scaling up of assistance; welcomes, however, the recent opening of two humanitarian corridors to facilitate the movement of humanitarian assistance, people requiring medical care and civilians across affected areas; calls for the EU and its Member States to increase humanitarian assistance to the affected regions;

5. Stresses the importance of the fight led by the international coalition against ISIL; emphasises that, without the invaluable help of Kurdish units, the international coalition would not have succeeded in defeating Daesh; recalls that a large number of special operations against Daesh, which also claimed the lives of many European soldiers, heavily relied on the fearlessness and operational contributions of Kurdish fighters; calls for all necessary steps to be taken to prevent terrorist cells within Syria and other jihadist groups from reorganising; emphasises that the resurgence of ISIL in Syria would pose an existential threat not only to Syria but to the entire region and deal a fatal blow to all reconstruction efforts; welcomes the Syrian Government’s renewed commitment to countering terrorism within the framework of the Global Coalition and urges the authorities to seek close military and intelligence coordination and cooperation with international partners; urges the Member States to step up their intelligence gathering with regard to ISIL’s activities in Syria and the broader Levant and assist the Syrian authorities in their efforts to dismantle existing networks and prevent fighters from regrouping;

6. Expresses profound concerns over the highly volatile security situation in and around the various camps and detention centres in north-east Syria; stresses that the Syrian army’s recent advance towards SDF-controlled provinces has triggered turmoil and chaos in multiple ISIL prison camps, resulting, among other things, in the escape of hundreds of Daesh fighters; warns of any further deterioration of the overall situation, as a lack of effective control and oversight would only serve to turn the camps into new breeding grounds for extremism and radicalisation; highlights the fact that, over the years, SDF control of these camps has served to prevent EU-born Daesh terrorists from being repatriated, thus averting major risks to the security of European countries; calls on the Syrian Government to do its utmost to guarantee effective and efficient control of the camps and refrain from any action that might embolden the remaining ISIL fighters;

7. Pays tribute to the thousands of courageous Kurdish fighters who have lost their lives in the struggle against ISIL and systematic oppression; recalls and applauds the courage and resolve of the countless Kurdish women who have bravely led the fight against ISIL and been forced to endure unfathomable brutalities at the hands of Daesh; calls on the Syrian authorities to investigate the atrocious crimes perpetrated by Daesh, notably against the Yazidi community;

8. Underlines the fact that the Kurdish people have consistently stood out as a beacon of democratic and inclusive governance, championing tolerance and freedom in the face of systematic repression and brutality; calls on the Syrian Government to meaningfully and effectively include the Kurdish population in Syria’s transition process and state institutions; recognises the substantial political and cultural contribution of the Kurdish people and their critical role in consolidating a new political architecture rooted in democratic institutions, freedom and the rule of law;

9. Stands with Syria’s religiously and ethnically diverse society, which has endured decades of enormous suffering at the hands of the Assad regime and terrorist groups; supports a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned inclusive political process that incorporates territorial integrity, transitional justice and reconciliation; urges the Syrian authorities to intensify efforts to include all components of Syrian society in decision-making and continue facilitating swift, transparent and independent investigations into acts targeting religious and ethnic minorities, and to take all necessary actions to quell sectarian violence and fight impunity;

10. Calls on the Syrian authorities to ensure the protection and fundamental rights of Syria’s ethnic and religious communities, including Arabs, Kurds, Sunnis, Shias, Alawites, Christians, Druze and Yazidis;

11. Highlights the vulnerability of Christian communities in Syria and the constant threats against worshippers, whose protection should be guaranteed by the authorities; recalls the brutal terrorist attack on the Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus in 2025; underlines the importance of preserving and cherishing the Christian and other communities’ contributions to Syria’s religious and cultural heritage and calls for Syria’s new political architecture to be reflective of this diversity;

12. Firmly believes that the unification of all segments of Syria, including the integration of all armed factions within a national army, requires a Syrian-led political solution; urges the Syrian Government to pursue a path of moderation and tolerance, remove any radical elements from state institutions and take the necessary measures to further isolate any factions that aim to sabotage the reconstruction process and the transition towards a democratic, free and prosperous Syria;

13. Expresses deep concern over foreign interference in Syria and hostile attempts by both regional and global powers to hamper Syria’s transition; calls on Türkiye to refrain from any military action across north-east and north-west Syria, particularly in Kurdish-majority areas; calls on the Government of Türkiye to engage constructively with the Syrian authorities and contribute to ensuring that a diverse and inclusive political architecture can flourish within Syria;

14. Condemns Iran’s attempts to hinder the reconstruction process in Syria and regain a foothold in the country; underlines the importance of thwarting any activities by the Iranian regime to smuggle military equipment into Lebanon and the West Bank and use Syria as a launching ground for malign operations across the region;

15. Is concerned about Russia’s persistent efforts to restore its former influence within Syria and its attempts to force the Syrian Government into new economic and military dependencies; calls on the Syrian leadership to curtail Russia’s operations in the country, including revoking the lease agreements for the Tartus naval base and Hmeimim airfield; condemns Russia for having granted Bashar al-Assad and his family political asylum, thus shielding them from justice;

16. Welcomes the EU’s new financial support package of EUR 620 million for 2026 and 2027, which includes humanitarian aid, early recovery support and bilateral support; calls on the Syrian Government to allocate reconstruction funds and financial assistance evenly and equally across Syria, taking into consideration the needs of all societal groups without distinction; calls for the EU to set up transparent and effective oversight mechanisms to closely monitor the use of EU financial assistance and additional resources;

17. 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 Member States, and the Syrian Government.