Fighting and violence in Syria have surged to the worst levels since 2020 and the country faces a growing humanitarian crisis as lawlessness rises, a UN-backed commission said in a report on Monday.
The UN Human Rights Council established the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria in 2011 after the civil war erupted that year.
In its latest report, the commission said that since October, Syria has seen the largest increase in fighting in four years.
“With the region in turmoil, a determined international effort to contain the fighting on Syrian soil is imperative,” said Paulo Pinheiro, chairman of the UN Commission of Inquiry.
“Syria, too, desperately needs a ceasefire.”
Mr Pinheiro said that more than 90 per cent of Syrians now live in poverty.
“The economy is in free-fall amid tightening sanctions and increased lawlessness is fuelling predatory practices and extortion by armed forces and militia,” he said.
Since the start of the Israel-Gaza war, regional tension has soared, raising concerns of a wider conflict.
Israel has conducted strikes on Iran-affiliated targets in Syria, including at key airports, disrupting UN humanitarian efforts.
And in response to more than 100 attacks on their bases by pro-Iran militias, US forces have launched retaliatory air strikes in Syria's east.
Syria and Russia have launched strikes on more than 2,300 locations in areas held by the opposition, resulting in significant civilian casualties.
These widespread assaults, said the Commission, could constitute war crimes.
In Idlib, Hayat Tahrir Al Sham continued to commit acts of torture, ill-treatment and unlawful deprivation of liberty, with reports of executions based on summary trials, including for witchcraft, adultery and murder, the report states.
It underscored a growing humanitarian crisis that is pushing Syrians into an increasingly dire situation.
The surge in asylum requests from Syrians in Europe this past October, at a seven-year peak, comes as no shock, commissioner Hanny Megally said.
The commission will present its report to the UN Human Rights Council on March 18, underlining the gravity of the situation and the need for immediate action to ease the suffering of the Syrian people.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 194hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 275Nm from 2,000-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: from Dh155,000
On sale: now
MATCH INFO
Inter Milan 2 (Vecino 65', Barella 83')
Verona 1 (Verre 19' pen)
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Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Favourite things
Luxury: Enjoys window shopping for high-end bags and jewellery
Discount: She works in luxury retail, but is careful about spending, waits for sales, festivals and only buys on discount
University: The only person in her family to go to college, Jiang secured a bachelor’s degree in business management in China
Masters: Studying part-time for a master’s degree in international business marketing in Dubai
Vacation: Heads back home to see family in China
Community work: Member of the Chinese Business Women’s Association of the UAE to encourage other women entrepreneurs
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
The specs
Engine: 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 540hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 600Nm at 2,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Kerb weight: 1580kg
Price: From Dh750k
On sale: via special order
The years Ramadan fell in May
