Druze Civilians Killed by Syrian Sunni Islamist Regime (Shame on EU, Gulf Powers, UK, and US)
Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
The rise of a Sunni Islamist regime in war-torn Syria has once again underscored the vulnerability of religious minorities. Reports indicate that regime-aligned forces have supported Sunni Bedouin tribes in their confrontations with the Druze community in Sweida.
It is reported that several hundred people have been killed in Sweida, with credible allegations that forces affiliated with the Syrian Sunni Islamist regime have carried out summary executions of Druze civilians.
The Times of Israel reports, “At least 248 people have been killed in southern Syria’s Sweida province following several days of clashes that triggered the deployment of government forces, a war monitor says.”
Israel appears to be one of the few countries voicing concern over the persecution of the Druze. Meanwhile, despite documented attacks on minority groups—including the reported killing of 1,700 Alawites and targeted violence against Christians—Western powers such as the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, along with Gulf states and Turkey, have sought to strengthen relations with the Sunni-led government. These developments suggest that geopolitical interests may be outweighing human rights considerations.
France 24 reports, “Syrian authorities were accused on Tuesday of carrying out summary executions of civilians in the predominantly Druze province of Sweida, where Israel said it had launched strikes against government forces in defence of the religious minority.”
The ongoing religious and political upheaval in Syria continues to receive indirect support from both Gulf and Western powers through various diplomatic, economic, and political channels. This support endures despite a series of brutal sectarian attacks carried out by Sunni Islamist factions against Alawites, along with targeted violence against Christian and Druze communities. Consequently, these external actors appear increasingly willing to engage with—or at least tolerate—the expanding influence of Islamist groups within Syria that seek to crush religious minorities.
Credible evidence exists that Druze civilians have been killed by the Syrian Islamist regime. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), at least 21 Druze civilians were “killed in summary executions by government forces.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted airstrikes on Syrian military positions yesterday, warning that such operations will continue unless regime forces withdraw from the Sweida region. Druze communities in Israel, Lebanon, and Syria have called for the protection of the Druze population in Sweida, who face increasing threats from the Syrian Sunni Islamist regime, which seeks to govern through intimidation and fear.
Christian worshippers were recently killed while gathered in prayer and reflection at Saint Elias Church. Their place of worship became the site of a tragic and violent attack when two ISIS-affiliated extremists carried out a brutal assault. At least 22 Christians lost their lives, and many others were injured in this deeply devastating act of terror.
Recently, tensions have risen between the Druze community and Sunni Islamist-aligned authorities in Damascus. As a result, the deployment of forces mistrusted by the Druze to Sweida heightened the risk of violence against Druze civilians.
The Defense Minister of Israel, Israel Katz, said, “As we have made clear and warned — Israel will not abandon the Druze in Syria and will enforce the demilitarisation policy we have decided on.”
The United States, the European Union, Gulf states, Turkey, and the United Kingdom ought to be deeply ashamed of their collective overtures to Sunni Islamist power brokers in Damascus, who aim to suppress religious minorities and secularists through ruling by fear.
The BBC reports, “Many minority communities – including the Druze, whose religion is an offshoot of Shia Islam with its own unique identity and beliefs – are suspicious of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government despite his pledges to protect them. Until now, the province of Suweida had remained largely under the control of Druze militias which resisted calls to join the security forces.”
Religious minorities, secularists, Kurds, and other vulnerable groups have much to fear under the emerging rule of Sunni Islamist power brokers in Damascus.
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