NATIONAL OVERVIEW

Nationwide incidents 

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS

• President al-Sharaa and First Lady attend 4th Antalya Diplomacy Forum
• Erdogan Plans First Visit to Syria
• UNHCR Reports 1.4 million Voluntary Returns to Syria
• Residents frustrated with influx of unhoused individuals – Peaceful demonstration
• Local security operations and violence in the south
• Israeli security operations in Quneitra
• Fatal violence and remnant explosive detonations in the northeast
• Elevated security measures amidst new agreement at Tishreen Dam
• Displaced families arrive in Hama – Violence in Hama and Homs
• Fact-finding committee comments on coastal violence investigation

STRATEGIC AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS

President al-Sharaa and First Lady attend 4th Antalya Diplomacy Forum

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa reaffirmed his commitment to dialogue and diplomacy as key tools for resolving conflicts and promoting regional and global stability during the 4th Antalya Diplomacy Forum, which began yesterday, April 11, and will run until April 13 in Türkiye. This marked Syria’s first official participation in the forum, as previous involvement was limited to opposition delegations. The event gathered over 20 heads of state and government, more than 70 ministers—including over 50 foreign ministers—and around 450 representatives from 140 countries. UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, also took part, delivering a briefing titled “The Road to Stability in Syria” during the opening session.

Sharaa described the forum as a valuable opportunity to exchange views with international leaders and officials regarding pressing regional and global challenges. He emphasized the importance of respecting Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, particularly in light of ongoing Israeli violations of Syrian territory. On the sidelines of the forum, Sharaa’s wife, First Lady Latifa al-Droubi, held meetings with her counterpart, Emine Erdoğan, to discuss joint projects aimed at improving the lives of Syrian women and children. Following the meeting, Al-Droubi signed the Zero Waste Project’s global goodwill statement.

President al-Sharaa’s attendance at the forum signifies Syria’s renewed engagement in international diplomacy. His participation, alongside the First Lady, underscores the effort to present himself in a more moderate light and a shift towards a more inclusive and diplomatic approach to Syria’s political transition and reconstruction efforts. The forum provided a platform for Syria to engage with global leaders and discuss strategies for achieving stability and peace in the region.

Erdogan Plans First Visit to Syria

According to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is planning his first official visit to Syria since the Assad regime. Although an official date for the visit has not yet been set, Turkey’s ambassador to Syria, Burhan Koroglu, stated at the Antalya Diplomatic Forum that the visit could happen in the near future, marking the first visit by a Turkish head of state to Syria since 2009.

UNHCR Reports 1.4 million Voluntary Returns to Syria

On Friday, 11th April, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) published a report detailing the voluntary return of Syrian refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs). According to UNHCR, over 1.4 million people have returned to their areas of origin — 1 million IDPs and 400.000 Syrians returning from neighboring countries.

The UNHCR stated that currently it is not promoting returns to Syria given the ongoing uncertainty and insecurity. However, it is facilitating voluntary returns for those who choose to go back, emphasizing the importance of well-informed, free, and voluntary decisions. Furthermore, the report highlights that, in a recent survey an estimated 1.5 million Syrians have expressed interest in returning from Jordan, Lebanon, Türkiye, Iraq and Egypt along with a further 2 million IDPs.

DAMASCUS & THE SOUTHERN REGION (including Suwaida, Daraa & Quneitra)

Residents frustrated with influx of unhoused individuals – Peaceful demonstration

According to media sources, residents in areas of Damascus are becoming increasingly frustrated with the return of individuals from Idlib as these individuals reportedly enter unoccupied homes, claiming their homes had been demolished and they retain no shelter. Residents claim that some of these individuals are cooperating with local officials to seize properties in areas such as Zabadani, Bloudan, Madaya, and Baqin. The issue is expected to remain relevant as many who fled to places like Idlib under the previous government have gradually returned to Damascus along with the influx of HTS-aligned individuals under the new government.

Separately, hundreds of demonstrators gathered on Khalid Bin al-Walid Street in Damascus City to express support for the people of Gaza. No major disruptions were recorded during the event, though such attendances are relatively normal.

Local security operations and violence in the south

On 11 April, the Syrian Ministry of Interior announced that the Public Security Service entered Busra al-Sham in eastern Daraa province to disarm former 8th Brigade fighters and apprehend wanted individuals. The operation was part of a government agreement with 8th Brigade commander Ahmed al-Awda, which required the surrender of weapons and the handover of individuals involved in the attempted arrest and injury of Bilal al-Droubi. Most forces withdrew by evening, leaving a small contingent, local leaders, and 40th Division commander Binyan Al-Hariri to oversee implementation.

Elsewhere in Daraa, authorities conducted a weapons search in Jizah and issued public calls in Musayfirah, Jibab, and Sida for residents to surrender illegal arms, warning of legal consequences for noncompliance. Reports indicated that former 8th Brigade fighters in Sida and Harak had transferred their weapons to the Public Security Service. Additionally, security personnel raided a warehouse between Daraa and Atman, seizing rockets and mortar shells, though the suspects escaped. Meanwhile, 8th Brigade forces reportedly deployed near Umm Walad with heavy weapons to secure a supply route between As Suwayda and Busra al-Sham.

On the same day, unidentified gunmen in two vehicles shot and injured a man outside his home in Umm al-Mayadin, eastern Daraa countryside. The victim reportedly held a leadership position in a local armed group. No arrests were reported.

Israeli security operations in Quneitra

Israeli forces maintained operations in Quneitra over the reporting period, with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reporting that five Israeli tanks and around 100 troops were positioned in the Tulul Al-Hamr area between Beit Jann and Hader. Israeli forces also established a checkpoint on the Hader-Taranja road, blocked traffic, and fired into the air near Taranja village. These reports are likely describing general force protection measures.

NORTH & EAST SYRIA (Including Hasaka, Deir Ez Zour, Aleppo & Raqqa provinces)

Fatal violence and remnant explosive detonations in the northeast

Incidents in the northeast included a reported IS attack in Deir ez Zour’s Jarthi area in which two gunmen on a motorcycle shot and killed a young man. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) provided an alternate account of the incident, claiming that the victim was a drug dealer and a member of a tribal militia – indicating a separate potential motive. A separate but similar incident was also reported in Hasakah’s Tal Awda Village where gunmen on a motorcycle shot and killed one individual, wounding another.

A personal dispute in Deir ez Zour reportedly escalated between two brothers on 11 April, resulting in the death of one of the brothers. The individual was previously arrested by the SDF and had recently been released from detention after more than two years of imprisonment. Explosive remnants also resulted in casualties over the reporting period, including two injuries in the Deir ez Zour desert as well as a fatality and injury in Raqqa’s Sabkha desert.

Elevated security measures amidst new agreement at Tishreen Dam

Notable security activity was recorded around the Tishreen Dam over the latest reporting period as Coalition Forces, the SDF, and Syrian government as part of the brokered plan to end fighting along the axis. Footage published online shows US helicopter activity in the area as Syrian government personnel arrive at the site. The arrangement aims to prevent further clashes between the SDF and Turkey/respectively-aligned groups which has placed the Tishreen Dam and other nearby areas at severe risk for collateral damages.

Syrian government personnel arrive at the Tishreen Dam

CENTRAL REGION (Including Idlib, Hama, Latakia, Tartous, Hama & Homs)

Displaced families arrive in Hama – Violence in Hama and Homs

On 11 April, sources reported that a new convoy of internally displaced persons departed from camps in northern Idlib to return to the Karnaz area of Hama. Officials confirmed that the convoy consisted of 20 families and was the first of its kind to arrive in the area. Similar returns are ongoing in other areas, though at times leading to tensions as some do not wish to return while other returning families must now integrate into potentially contentious environments.

Violence in Hama included reports of a shooting in Hama City’s Aliyyat neighborhood as unknown assailants shot and killed a former National Defense Forces member. A separate incident in the Faraya neighborhood also saw the fatal shooting of an individual who previously served as a recruiter for the former government. In Homs, social media sources reported that an armed group from the Hwla area stormed a home in the Shanyah Village and killed a man and his wife in front of their children. No motive was initially provided.

Fact-finding committee comments on coastal violence investigation

On 11 April, Yasser Al-Farhan, spokesperson for the fact-finding committee on the coastal events, stated that the committee was not given sufficient time to complete its investigations. He explained that the committee had monitored 41 sites corresponding to 41 cases, emphasizing that building evidence for each required additional time. Al-Farhan reported that the committee had interrogated numerous detainees suspected of involvement in the recent coastal events but did not disclose their number. He added that the committee had invited Amnesty International to cooperate in completing its mandate and uncovering the truth.