A/HRC/45/31 resulting in the killing of four persons (a member of the Committee and three bodyguards), and injury to two due to small arms fire. 18. The Commission investigated at least five cases where civilians had been killed. In some incidents, doctors who had been active in treating fighters appeared to be specifically targeted as they left their clinics. Based on the information gathered from interviewees, the Commission has no evidence that the competent authority launched investigations into these incidents.23 Findings 19. Regarding the attacks on 1 and 18 March in Sanamayn and Jallayn respectively, the Commission has reasonable grounds to believe that in each incident, government and allied forces did not direct the attacks at a specific military objective, which may amount to the war crime of launching indiscriminate attacks resulting in death or injury to civilians. B. Violations outside the context of the conduct of hostilities Arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, and torture, sexual violence and death in detention 20. Risks of reprisals and other protection concerns continued to affect the Commission’s ability to investigate detention-related human rights violations.24 The cases below are illustrative of the ongoing patterns of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, and torture and death in detention.25 21. Almost all cases of arbitrary arrest and detention that were investigated in the reporting period resulted in enforced disappearance, with at least 34 men, one woman and 10 children disappeared. These took place in Dar’a, Homs, Qunaytirah, Rif Damascus and Suwayda’ Governorates, involving government security forces, including the Military Intelligence Directorate and the Military Police. 22. Those subjected to enforced disappearance included defectors as well as current and former humanitarian workers, activists and other civilians, including those who had undergone so-called “reconciliation” processes in Dar’a Governorate. 23. Demonstrating the longevity of this practice and its harrowing impact on families, the Commission, during the reporting period, documented cases of individuals still missing at the time of writing, up to eight years after being disappeared by the Government. 26 24. Most recently in the city of Suwayda’, at least 15 men were detained between 9 and 16 June following their participation in peaceful protests to demand better living conditions. The men were allegedly detained at the Military Police branch in Suwayda’ and neither lawyers nor family members were permitted to make contact. At the time of writing, in July, the Commission received information that the protesters had been released following pressure from local actors. 25. Moreover, the Commission documented 13 accounts of torture of persons held in detention by the Syrian authorities,27 with some having experienced torture over lengthy periods, even beyond seven years. Locations where torture took place included the Criminal Security Department branch in Aleppo, Air Force Intelligence Directorate branches in 23 24 25 26 27 6 On 30 June, the Commission requested information from the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic regarding its response to the killing of civilians, but no reply was received. This section of the report represents only a small anonymized representation of information collected by the Commission in the reporting period. See A/HRC/31/CRP.1, available from www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/IICISyria /Pages/Documentation.aspx. The Commission is of the view that enforced disappearance as a violation of international law continues as long as families do not know the victim’s fate and whereabouts; see art. 17 (1) of the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. Some were released prior to 10 January 2020.