Syria begins trials over violence in Druze heartland

DAMASCUS

Syrian authorities said on July 3 that they had begun trying suspects over a wave of deadly violence that tore through the Druze-majority Sweida province last year.

The episode last July involved some of the worst internecine bloodshed the country had seen since the toppling of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, and raised questions about the new government's stated commitment to ensuring the safety of all of multi-confessional Syria's communities.

The violence began with clashes between Druze factions and Bedouin fighters in the southern province, with security forces then intervening on the side of the Bedouins, along with other tribal groups.

In the end, more than 2,000 people were killed, including 789 Druze civilians, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor. A committee formed by the Syrian government said it had documented the killing of 1,760 people.

The head of the investigative committee said in a statement published by the justice ministry that a court in Damascus had begun examining cases "in public sessions as of July 1, with the defendants and their legal representatives present".

The statement added that the proceedings were meant to "establish the facts and hold accountable anyone proven responsible for any violations... regardless of their position or the side to which the acts are attributed".

It added that other people were still under investigation.

The committee announced in March that it had drawn up "a list of suspects from the (ministries of) defense and interior, Druze factions and civilians — including Bedouins and tribes — for serious crimes and violations".