5.4. Security incidents

Between November 2024 and May 2025, the highest number of security incidents documented by ACLED occurred in the months of November 2024, December 2024 and January 2025 (see Table 1).834 For a detailed analysis of the security situation prior to the fall of the Assad government see EUAA COI Report Syria – Country Focus (March 2025) and EUAA COI Report Syria – Security Situation (October 2024).

Table 1. Number of ACLED security events coded ‘battles’, ‘explosions/remote violence’ and ‘violence against civilians’ recorded between November 2024 and May 2025. Breakdown by governorate

Between the aftermath of the fall of Assad on 9 December 2024 and 31 May 2025, ACLED recorded 4 271 security incidents in Syria: 846 of these were coded as battles, 1 907 as explosions/remote violence, and 1 518 as violence against civilians. Most incidents occurred in the months of January (primarily attributed to confrontations between SDF and Türkiye and Turkish-backed armed groups, and to incidents involving landmines and UXOs) and March 2025 (primarily attributed to confrontations between government forces and affiliated armed groups and anti-government militias, and to acts of violence against civilians attributed to government forces and unidentified armed groups) with significantly lower numbers recorded in April and May 2025.835, 836

Figure 1. Evolution of ACLED security events coded ‘battles’, ‘explosions/remote violence’ and ‘violence against civilians’ between 9 December 2024 and 31 May 2025.

During this period, ACLED recorded the highest number of security incidents in the governorates of Aleppo (1 048), Deir Ez-Zor (638), Hasaka (453) and Raqqa (426). The lowest number of security incidents were recorded in the governorates of Quneitra (34), Damascus (58) and Sweida (92).

Figure 2. ACLED security events coded ‘battles’, ‘explosions/remote violence’ and ‘violence against civilians’ on governorate level between 9 December 2024 and 31 May 2025.

For the reference period of this report (1 March to 31 May 2025) there were 1 706 security incidents recorded by ACLED in Syria: 328 of these were coded as battles, 556 as explosions/remote violence, and 822 as violence against civilians. During this period, incidents categorised as battles primarily involved clashes between SDF and ISIL, SDF and government forces and between SDF and unidentified armed groups. Confrontations between government forces and anti-government militias, particularly in the coastal areas, were also widely reported. Most incidents coded as explosions/remote violence were attributed to landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXOs), as well as to military forces of Türkiye, Israel and to unidentified armed groups. The main parties involved in incidents coded as violence against civilians were unidentified armed groups (around 45 % of all such incidents), SDF and affiliated groups, and government forces.

The highest number of security incidents were recorded by ACLED in March with 775 incidents. Following this peak, there was a decline of approximately 40 % over the next two months. Most security incidents recorded by ACLED during this period took place in the governorates of Deir Ez-Zor (307), Aleppo (261), Homs (180) and Latakia (162). The lowest security incidents figures were recorded in the governorates of Quneitra (22), Damascus (27), and Sweida (52).837 Most security incidents recorded in Deir Ez-Zor were attributed to landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXOs), as well as clashes involving SDF and ISIL, and with unidentified armed groups.

A more detailed analysis of security incidents at the governorate level can be found in the respective chapters of section 5.8.

Figure 3. Evolution of ACLED security events coded ‘battles’, ‘explosions/remote violence’ and ‘violence against civilians’ between 1 March and 31 May 2025.

Figure 4. ACLED security events coded ‘battles’, ‘explosions/remote violence’ and ‘violence against civilians’ on governorate level between 1 March and 31 May 2025.