A/HRC/42/51 B. Government-held areas 67. Throughout areas under the control of government forces, including Rif Dimashq and Dar‘a Governorates, the Commission continued to receive accounts of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances (A/HRC/40/70, paras. 73–77). In Yabrud and Qalamun (Rif Dimashq), for example, dozens of men aged between 20 and 25 years were arrested and forcibly disappeared during the period under review. Dar‘a 68. Upon capturing Dar‘a Governorate from armed groups in late July 2018, government forces imposed a “reconciliation” process on civilians who had decided to remain in the area.18 Specifically, all civilians were required to sign an oath of loyalty, a copy of which the Commission recently obtained. Stipulations included numerous infringements of key human rights, including the right to peaceful assembly. Furthermore, civilians were made to reveal the names of anyone who had elected to be evacuated from the area, as well as the contact details of human rights activists. Throughout the latter half of 2018, a committee went to villages throughout Dar‘a in order to make civilians sign the document, they were only given minutes to read and sign it. 69. In connection with the “wanted lists” compiled largely on the basis of the intelligence gathered by government forces in the manner described above, the Commission received accounts of enforced disappearances throughout Dar‘a Governorate, with the majority of victims being humanitarian workers deemed to have “betrayed the country” for documenting attacks by the Government. Multiple interviewees noted that the 4th Armoured Division of the Syrian army was controlling Dar‘a. Describing the general security situation in Dar‘a, interviewees reported that individuals connected with the 2011 uprising were being targeted by the 4th Armoured Division. 70. Beginning in mid-March, civilians in Dar‘a city and Tafas became increasingly angry at the aforementioned mass arbitrary detentions of civilians and protested, demanding their release. In response, on 23 and 30 May, as well as on 12 June, government forces released some 61 individuals from prison. Investigations are ongoing. 71. In addition to arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances, the general humanitarian situation in Dar‘a remains bleak. Services and utilities, including electricity, water and gas, are unavailable for the vast majority of inhabitants. In most villages, gas cylinders are either unavailable or prohibitively expensive. One man reported that electricity was provided by the State for only two to three hours each day, while water was supplied every three days and only for a few hours, which was insufficient to meet even basic needs. 72. Children in Dar‘a remain acutely vulnerable, in particular primary and secondarylevel schoolchildren, due to the influx of pupils returning to the governorate. Prior to the influx, schools throughout Dar‘a had, on average, 25 to 30 children in each class. However, those figures have recently doubled. As many schools have been affected by hostilities, schools have begun operating in shifts in those buildings that can still hold classes. In addition, numerous teachers fled when government forces took control of the area in July 2018, leaving unqualified individuals to teach pupils. Although it is commendable that the Government has accepted the educational certificates issued by armed groups for younger children, it is apparently refusing to acknowledge those issued to students in grade 9 and above. This is forcing thousands of students to repeat classes and retake examinations. Duma, eastern Ghutah 73. The overall situation for civilians in Duma, eastern Ghutah (Rif Dimashq), also remains critical. Interviewees described the presence of checkpoints located approximately every 200 metres throughout Duma, erected by government forces to restrict and control the movement of civilians who wish to exit the area. The vast majority of residents require 18 On oaths of loyalty and reconciliation, see also A/HRC/36/55, paras. 20–22. 13