False Claim Attributed to UN Envoy Pedersen Accusing Syria’s Defense Ministry of Massacres in Coastal Region

On Wednesday, March 26, users on the platform "X" shared a statement attributed to Pedersen, claiming he accused Syrian government forces and foreign fighters of committing mass killings in the coastal region.

The alleged quote quickly gained traction across social media after several accounts promoted it in this form.

The Verify Syria team investigated the authenticity of the statement and found it to be false.

In his actual briefing to the UN Security Council on March 25, Pedersen did not accuse the Syrian Ministry of Defense or any foreign fighters of committing atrocities. Instead, he described intense clashes between interim authority forces and remnants of the former regime, which resulted in significant casualties among all warring parties. 

He highlighted serious violations, including mass executions and clear sectarian targeting—such as the killing of entire families. Pedersen also noted the circulation of video evidence documenting these crimes and warned of rising sectarian tensions in the region. 

UN reports cited by Pedersen described violent clashes in the coastal region following the arrival of various armed groups.  These included units affiliated with the Ministry of Defense under the interim authority, as well as uncoordinated, spontaneously armed groups.

The fighting caused numerous civilian deaths after armed groups linked to the former regime attacked military and security sites, as well as several hospitals in the area. 

1. The statement attributed to UN Envoy Geir Pedersen accusing the Ministry of Defense and foreign fighters of massacring families in Syria’s coastal region is fabricated.
    
2. Pedersen did report large-scale violations during the recent clashes but made no direct accusations against the Ministry of Defense.
    
3. Verify Syria has classified the claim as "Disinformation" according to its verification methodology.