In July 2025, hundreds of people were killed in Sweida province in southern Syria.
Violence erupted between Druze and Bedouin ethnic groups – triggering deaths, displacement and infrastructure damage.
Many factors contributed to this violence, including the Syrian government, whose handling of the situation aggravated tensions and led to civilian harm and death. Though a truce was declared, violence continued and produced mistrust among minority communities, who feel vulnerable and unprotected.
The aftermath of the attacks
Public reactions were concerning. Widespread calls for revenge circulated on social media, and peaceful voices urging restraint were silenced. Activists who spoke out against the ethnic violence were abused, and some were physically assaulted in the streets of Damascus.
Alarmingly, these acts of retaliation were often carried out by young people, highlighting that violence has been normalised for the next generation of Syrians. The state has not yet launched any measures to hold perpetrators to account or prevent further violence from breaking out. The situation was made worse by an Israeli air strike in Damascus, an unjustified and blatant act of aggression.
