Syria Signs International Declaration to Strengthen Cooperation and Transparency in Addressing the Missing Persons File

Wlat TV – Erbil

The National Commission for the Missing Persons in Syria announced the signing of a joint declaration of principles with three international organizations specializing in the issue of missing persons, aimed at supporting national efforts to uncover the fate of the disappeared across the country.

In a statement released on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, the Commission said it signed the declaration with the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and the Independent International Missing Persons Institution (IIMP).

The cooperation seeks to clarify the fate and whereabouts of all missing persons in Syria, regardless of the circumstances of their disappearance or affiliations.

The Commission noted that the declaration forms part of its ongoing efforts to build a comprehensive and coordinated partnership with international organizations possessing technical and humanitarian expertise, to ensure unified action, avoid duplication, and enhance transparency, inclusivity, and efficiency in all related processes.

Commitment to International Law

The Commission reaffirmed that all signatory parties are committed to upholding international humanitarian law and human rights, emphasizing the principles of neutrality, independence, and impartiality.

It stressed that victims’ families and their associations must remain at the heart of the national process to uncover the fate of their loved ones.

The National Commission for the Missing Persons was established by a presidential decree in May 2025 and is tasked with searching for and identifying missing and forcibly disappeared individuals, documenting their cases, building a national database, and providing legal and humanitarian support to affected families.

Thousands of people in Syria remain missing, most of whom were detained by the Assad regime security forces over the past 14 years since the outbreak of the Syrian uprising, while thousands of families continue to search for their loved ones.