We, the undersigned civil society organizations, condemn the recent escalation in violence in the Druze-majority city of Suweida, where local Sunni Bedouin tribes engaged in fierce clashes with fighters from Syria’s Druze minority. The province of Suweida has long operated outside of complete control under both the previous regime and the current interim government, and local Druze actors have maintained a relative degree of autonomy.
The recent outbreak of violence began on Sunday, July 13th. It was sparked by a series of abductions, including the kidnapping of a Druze merchant on the main road connecting Damascus to Suweida. Government authorities, who responded with military deployment to restore order, have been criticized for their handling of the situation and accused of widespread violations against Druze residents. Bedouin communities were also subjected to violence, including attacks and forced displacement carried out by Druze factions.
Compounding the situation, Israel launched renewed illegal strikes in Syria, targeting Syrian forces in Suweida and Damascus, with aerial attacks on the Syrian Defense Ministry and the Syrian presidential palace.
Approximately 1400 people have been killed in armed clashes, bombardment, extrajudicial executions, and Israeli airstrikes, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Over 176,000 people have been displaced from Sweida, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. A humanitarian crisis persists in the southern Syrian governorate, characterized by a food shortage and widespread disruptions to clean water, electricity, and telecommunications, stemming from damaged infrastructure. Access to healthcare remains very challenging, as the clashes caused physical damage to hospitals and affected the movement of medical personnel and the delivery of essential supplies. Hospitals are currently under a lot of strain, and staff are operating under harsh conditions.
On July 19, the Syrian presidency formally reaffirmed a comprehensive and immediate ceasefire, calling on all parties to comply and deploying Interior Ministry forces to the area. Despite these declarations, the situation remains fragile, with sporadic clashes and sectarian tensions continuing across the region.
Systemic Patterns of Violence
The recent events took place within the broader context of a growing pattern of discriminatory violence that has emerged since the ousting of the Assad regime in December 2024, most notably, the massacres against the Alawite community in the coastal region in March and an earlier wave of attacks targeting the Druze community in May.
Videos widely circulated on social media depicting scenes of violence, including mass killings in Suweida, have been shared under the pretext of “liberating” the city and returning it to the control of the Syrian Interim Government. Human rights organizations and independent journalists have documented, and in some cases verified, several of these videos, which often contain violent sectarian slogans and acts of dehumanization. Similar footage and rhetoric have also appeared during massacres targeting Alawite civilians in the coastal region earlier this year. These videos contain dangerous incitement and hate speech against minority communities and expose vulnerable populations to the risk of further violence and marginalization.
The rise in targeted violence has seriously undermined the Syrian interim government’s ability to consolidate control and contain rising sectarianism. The interim government has thus far not succeeded in unifying armed groups and addressing pro-government radical factions–– further underscoring the fragility of Syria’s state institutions. Members of minority sects in Syria have expressed fear due to pro-government extremist armed groups and the continued ineffectiveness of central authorities. The Alawite and Druze communities are particularly vulnerable in the current political climate, as they are often associated with the former regime or experience exclusion and discrimination by militias holding extremist ideologies.
The rural parts of the provinces of Latakia, Tartous, Homs, and Hama witnessed an alarming rise in targeted killings and abductions of Alawites since the ousting of the previous regime. Pro-government armed groups have raided homes and set up checkpoints, targeting individuals in both private and public spaces. The abductions have had gendered dimensions, with reports of women and girls being kidnapped while en route to work, school, university, or running daily errands, with some being trafficked or forcibly married in regions controlled by armed factions, notably Idlib. Families are usually kept in the dark about the fate of their abducted relatives and threatened into silence with anonymous calls or messages demanding ransoms. Coupled with fear of retribution, some families have chosen to remain silent due to shame and social discrimination (stigma) stemming from gender-biased norms. The fear of abduction has led families in these rural regions to decide to keep their daughters at home for security reasons, resulting in a rising number of women and girls’ absenteeism in schools, universities, and workplaces.
Call for Accountability, Civilian Protection, and Transitional Justice
We demand that the Syrian interim government immediately uphold international humanitarian law to protect all civilians, including sectarian and ethnic minorities and women and girls, and to end all forms of incitement and human rights violations.
Furthermore, we call on the international community to demand oversight and accountability and to urgently press for an independent and impartial investigation into the mass killings and abductions that have taken place under the interim government, particularly involving civilian populations and vulnerable communities.
Israeli strikes have raised serious concerns under international humanitarian law. While Israel has stated that its actions are part of ongoing security operations, many legal observers and rights groups have questioned the legality of cross-border use of force without UN authorisation or imminent threat justification.
We strongly condemn all unlawful military actions and call for full respect for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity by the UN Charter and international law. We further urge all regional actors to avoid actions that could inflame tensions or worsen the already dire humanitarian and security situation within Syria.
We urgently call on the Syrian government and armed factions controlling Suweida to allow for a safe and unhindered passage for humanitarian aid and to ensure the immediate restoration of vital services. We call for humanitarian assistance to reach the most vulnerable communities targeted by human rights violations, and for holistic support to be provided to survivors.
Importantly, the undersigned organizations call for a comprehensive transitional justice process that addresses Syria’s past atrocities and holds all perpetrators accountable, regardless of political affiliation. Without survivor-centric and transformative justice and accountability mechanisms, achieving sustainable peace and democratic governance in Syria will remain unattainable.
Signatories:
- Al-Alaq Center for Press Services
- Al-Bahairat Community Foundation
- Anty Charity
- Bent Al-Nile
- CEWLA – Center For Egyptian Women’s Legal Assistance
- Collaborative for Peace
- Hope for Women Syria
- Initiative for Human Security
- My right Foundation for the Political and Economic Empowerment of Women
- Nadeem Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence
- New Woman Foundation
- Noon Feminist Movement
- Peace Makers Syria
- Qarar Foundation for Media and Development
- Sudanese Women Health Organization
- Syrian Feminist Lobby
- Takatoat
- The Regional Coalition for Women Human Rights Defenders in South West Asia and North Africa (WHRDMENA)
- The Women’s Committee for Reconciliation and Peace
- Tulip Organization to Support Women and Kid (TSWK)
- Warsheh Team
- Women for Peace