Syria investigates civilian attacks amid rising sectarian violence

In July 2025, sectarian violence erupted in Sweida province, Syria, resulting in hundreds of fatalities and tens of thousands of displacements. The conflict was primarily instigated by escalating tensions between armed Bedouin clans, mostly Sunni, and the Druze religious minority, an offshoot of Shiite Islam. Reports indicated the involvement of Syrian government forces, which seemed to have sided with the Bedouin clans during the hostilities. The fighting drew widespread media attention due to disturbing social media content that showed harrowing acts of violence against Druze civilians. As a result, Druze groups retaliated against Bedouin communities, exacerbating the cycle of violence. In response to the unrest, Syria's Justice Ministry announced the formation of a specialized committee aimed at probing the assaults on civilians. This committee, tasked with uncovering the circumstances surrounding the July events, is expected to present its findings within three months. It will look into the actions leading to the violence, including examining the methods used during attacks. A similar committee had previously been established after violent incidents in March that left numerous civilians from the Alawite religious minority dead. The earlier committee's four-month investigation revealed significant violations committed against civilians, including by members of Syria's new security apparatus. Findings indicated that over 1,400 individuals, predominantly civilians, were killed during those outbreaks of violence, prompting further scrutiny of the roles played by the security forces in these tragedies. The identification of suspects for various crimes related to the March events, including murder and torture, raised serious concerns about the accountability of the authorities. These ongoing incidents of sectarian violence have heightened the mistrust among ethnic and religious minorities toward the newly established Syrian government under interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa. Many view the government's actions and affiliations as potentially detrimental to their safety, further complicating the postwar transition of the country. The recent formation of the committee hopes to address some of these issues, yet it leaves lingering questions about the overall effectiveness of Syria's new leadership in maintaining peace and security among its diverse populations.