Syria: UN Commission documents grave violations in July 2025 escalation in Sweida

The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria documented widespread violations mainly against the Druze and Bedouin communities, including executions, torture, gender-based violence and the burning of homes. 

These incidents, carried out by multiple actors, including Syrian government forces and Druze armed groups, may amount to war crimes or even crimes against humanity, pending further investigation, the Commission said. 

Widespread devastation 

The escalation in the southern governorate, also spelled Suwayda, occurred in the wake of the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.  

“The scale and brutality of the violence and violations documented in Suwayda is deeply distressing,” said Commission Chair Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro.  

“Expanded efforts to pursue accountability for all perpetrators, regardless of affiliation or rank, are urgently needed to rebuild trust among the victim communities, alongside genuine dialogue to resolve root causes.” 

Overlapping waves of hostilities 

The report draws on more than 400 firsthand accounts from survivors and witnesses.  

The investigators were granted access by the Syrian authorities and conducted extensive field visits to the hardest-hit areas.  They found widespread devastation—particularly in Druze villages, where tens of thousands of homes, businesses, and places of worship were burned. 

The violence was initially triggered by inter-community tensions and unfolded in three waves—two targeting Druze civilians and the other Bedouins. 

“The entire period was also marked by elevated levels of hate speech and disinformation, which was disseminated largely through social media,” the report said. 

The first major wave of violence was the deadliest, with Government forces accompanied by tribal fighters committing widespread violations – including murder, torture, arbitrary detention and pillage – against Druze civilians in western Sweida and Sweida city between 14–16 July. 

“Men identified as Druze were separated from women and children and executed. Others were shot in the streets or killed in their homes alongside family members,” the Commission said. 

The second wave began on 17 July after Government forces withdrew in the wake of Israeli airstrikes on Sweida and Syria’s capital Damascus.  Druze armed groups then attacked Bedouin civilians, engaging in murder, torture, arbitrary detention, forced displacement and pillage.  

“Such attacks forced tens of thousands of Bedouins to leave the Druze-held areas of the governorate,” the report said, ultimately driving almost the entire Bedouin community from areas under armed group control. 

Retaliatory attacks 

The third and most destructive wave was carried out by tribal fighters from across Syria who mobilized in the aftermath, from 17-19 July, and targeted Druze civilians in retaliation.  

“There was widespread looting and systematic burning of nearly every home in 35 mixed or predominantly Druze villages by tribal fighters, along with killings and abductions of civilians who had not fled from the earlier government advance or who had returned to their villages on 17 July,” the report said. 

Businesses and religious sites were also burned and looted, while some Government force members “shed their uniforms” and joined the attacks. 

The Commission noted that “Israel’s military intervention, and earlier efforts to counter government functioning, centralization and sow division,” not only caused death and injury “but also contributed to instability, fueling accusations of treason against Druze community leaders, and prompting further online incitement to hatred and retaliatory attacks against the entire community, and dividing it.” 

Call for accountability 

In response to the violence, the Syrian authorities pledged accountability and launched a national inquiry.  Recently, 23 security and army personnel were reportedly detained.  Information regarding investigations into command responsibility has been limited. 

“Serious violations carried out by government forces and Druze armed groups may amount to war crimes and require expanded prompt, effective and impartial investigations to provide justice and guarantees of nonrecurrence,” said Commissioner Fionnuala Ní Aoláin.  

The report calls for expanded efforts to ensure accountability, action to prevent recurrence, and strengthened confidence building and reconciliation efforts, among other measures.  

It urges the international community to support the Syrian authorities in implementing these recommendations, and for external actors, including Israel, to halt actions that risk further destabilization and civilian harm. 

About the Commission 

The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic was established by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law in the country since March 2011. 

The panel consists of three members who are not UN staff and do not receive any payment for their work.