Syria sees first genetic identifications of missing persons

For the first time since the beginning of the Syrian conflict, forensic and DNA analysis has been used to identify the remains of missing persons. Three cases have been completed this year, providing a potential breakthrough for the tens of thousands of people still missing following years of civil war and political repression.

One significant case involved the identification of a family, including two adults and five children, whose remains were found in the rubble of a residential building in Raqqa. The building likely collapsed during US airstrikes in 2017. This specific identification was conducted through a collaboration between the Syria Justice and Accountability Centre (SJAC), the Syrian Missing Persons and Forensic Team, and the Forensic Anthropology Foundation of Guatemala (FAFG).

The other two successful identifications were completed by Syria’s National Commission for Missing Persons. While the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024 has improved access to detention centers and burial sites, investigators continue to face logistical challenges, including a shortage of forensic equipment and difficulties in gathering DNA samples from families.