This human rights report documents an incident of torture suffered by the young man Abdullah Al-Khadr, based on publicly circulated visual materials. The alleged violations are attributed to personnel affiliated with the Syrian Arab Army, operating under the authority of the interim governing power represented by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, in the city of Raqqa in northern Syria. This incident occurs within a shifting security and political context following the recent takeover of the city by the interim authority.
On 4 February 2026, a video recording was circulated showing clear signs of torture on the body of Abdullah Al-Khadr, resulting from an assault carried out by personnel stationed at Checkpoint No. 11, located near the Black Stadium in Raqqa city.
According to the information in circulation, the assault followed a verbal altercation between Abdullah Al-Khadr and several members of the checkpoint. The information further indicates that another young man who was accompanying Al-Khadr was also subjected to beating and humiliation by the same personnel, without additional details being available regarding his identity.
The circulated footage depicts Abdullah Al-Khadr being subjected to brutal torture, including physical assaults and degrading treatment, constituting a flagrant violation of the prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment as enshrined in international human rights law, in particular the Convention against Torture.
This incident occurred less than one month after forces of the interim authority took control of Raqqa city, following an alliance with certain Arab tribes and the withdrawal of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which had previously controlled the city. This violation is recorded during a transitional phase marked by security instability and changes in the structures exercising control on the ground in Raqqa.
The torture of Abdullah Al-Khadr constitutes a grave incident that necessitates an independent and transparent investigation, the accountability of those responsible, and guarantees against impunity for perpetrators of torture, in addition to ensuring victims’ rights to effective remedy and reparation, in accordance with obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
