Seventy hundred people were killed in the town of Daraya over a violent three-day period, a decade ago. The events unfolded near the city of Damascus as part of a brutal crackdown that remains a focal point in discussions about the early days of the Syrian conflict. A newly published report assigns clear responsibility to the regime and its allied forces, highlighting a deliberate, large‑scale assault on civilians that targeted Daraya and its residents. Syrian researchers, supported by a coalition of UK-based institutions, describe these findings as a step toward establishing accountability for the massacre that shocked observers at the time.
Ten years have passed since a planned and coordinated offensive by the Syrian government and its allies began. The report details a 72‑hour window of violent activity, including door‑to‑door assaults against civilians fleeing or living in Daraya. The narrative evidence shows mass arrests, disappearances, and executions that have left many families without answers to this day. The government forces reportedly mobilized substantial resources to crush protests and silence dissent in Daraya, a city that became a symbol of early resistance to the regime.
Today marks the ten-year anniversary of that offensive, during which countless civilians were killed and many more detained or vanished within days. The investigative timeline emphasizes a rapid, systematic approach to violence that targeted neighborhoods, essential facilities, and everyday life in Daraya.
— British Consortium in Syria
The report notes that diverse units under the regime, including special formations and intelligence branches, benefited from support networks described as external militias and allied forces. With the involvement of regional actors, the campaign is presented as one of the largest massacres in the early phase of the conflict. The document accuses these actors of crimes against humanity and war crimes on a substantial scale, detailing hundreds of incidents that comprise murders, enforced disappearances, tortures, and widespread looting that reflect a highly coordinated assault against the Daraya population.
Bombings against civilians
The investigation records ongoing bombardments across the city, capturing how hospitals, schools, and other civilian structures were repeatedly struck. The report describes airstrikes using rockets, missiles, and mortars, supplemented by air support from helicopters and warplanes. Despite the scale and brutality of this violence, the international response during the early years of the Syrian conflict appeared limited in scope. The researchers argue that their findings should inform future actions by international organizations and legal bodies to hold those responsible to account for the destruction seen in Daraya.
Social media and public discourse from the period reflect a chorus of concern about the humanitarian crisis in Syria, with hashtags and posts that underscore the gravity of the Daraya events as well as calls for accountability and truth. The publication of this report adds a new, documented layer to the historical record surrounding the 2012 massacres and the broader campaign against civilians in the region.
“Witnesses interviewed for the investigation expressed disappointment with the international response to the massacre and the broader conflict, noting that their testimonies were given with a sense of duty and a cautious hope that they might contribute to justice and peace.” The conclusions acknowledge that, even after ten years, meaningful accountability remains elusive for the people of Daraya.
Sense of justice
The authors argue that witnesses believed their stories matter not only as records of what happened but as potential catalysts for future justice and accountability. The report gathers the voices of survivors and observers who chose to scrutinize painful memories from around the world to confront impunity associated with the Assad regime. After more than a decade of conflict, the first convictions are beginning to appear in some jurisdictions. Earlier this year, a German court sentenced a former Syrian intelligence official to life imprisonment for crimes against humanity. Survivors from Daraya hold on to the hope that their own pursuit of justice will gain traction in the years ahead.