More than 3,572 people killed.
38 villages seized.
Over 225,000 displaced, with 130,000 still without homes.
This is not ancient history. This is happening now in southern Syria.
In July 2025, the Druze stronghold of As Suwayda became the site of a brutal massacre that shook the community worldwide. What began as a local clash between armed Bedouin groups and Druze residents escalated within hours into something far darker. Syrian regime forces entered the area claiming they were restoring order. Instead, reports indicate they supported armed militias, opened fire on civilians, carried out field executions, and looted homes.
For nine days, between July 13 and July 21, violence raged across the province. Entire towns were emptied. Families fled with nothing. Human rights organizations documented the abduction of more than 100 Druze women and girls by armed groups linked to the regime. Reports describe systematic sexual violence. In at least three documented cases, women were assaulted and then executed.
A ceasefire brokered on July 19 briefly raised hope. It did not last. Clashes resumed in the months that followed. As of February 2026, the Syrian regime is imposing a siege on As Suwayda, blocking food and medical supplies from entering the province. Dozens of abducted civilians are still missing. No one has been held accountable.
A Community That Feels It Personally
For the Druze community in Israel, this is not distant news. It is family.
Many Israeli Druze have relatives in southern Syria. As reports of massacres spread, soldiers fighting in Gaza were receiving messages that their cousins were being killed across the border. The trauma felt painfully familiar.
In the Druze village of Julis in northern Israel, a civilian emergency command center was established almost immediately. Volunteers began working around the clock to gather information, collect supplies, and coordinate humanitarian aid. Medical equipment, food, and essential goods have been sent in an ongoing effort to keep people alive under siege conditions.
Religious leaders, doctors, business figures, and grassroots activists joined forces. Jewish Israelis arrived to donate and assist. According to those involved, this cross community solidarity has become a lifeline for many families trapped inside Syria.
The Broader Pattern
The events in As Suwayda do not stand alone. Since March 2025, following an agreement between Syrian President Ahmad al Sharaa and Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi, pressure on minority communities in Syria has intensified. Alawites, Christians, and Yazidis have all reported increasing threats.
Today, As Suwayda remains one of the last organized and armed Druze regions in the country. Its resilience has come at a devastating cost.
Videos continue to surface online showing executions, religious humiliation, and sectarian violence. The psychological impact is immense, especially for families who have already endured war and loss in recent years.
Yet despite the scale of the atrocities, global outrage has been muted. Many activists say the silence is almost as painful as the violence itself.
Why This Matters Beyond One Community
The Druze are a small minority in the Middle East. Historically loyal to the states in which they live, they have often served in national armies and public institutions. In Israel, Druze citizens are integrated into military and civic life. In Syria, they have tried to navigate a brutal civil war while preserving their autonomy and identity.
What is unfolding in As Suwayda raises urgent questions about the protection of minorities in collapsing states. When a community is besieged, displaced, and targeted for its identity, the consequences extend far beyond one province.
This is not only a Druze issue. It is a test of whether the world is willing to confront systematic violence against vulnerable communities.
How You Can Help
If you want to stand with the Druze community and support advocacy and humanitarian efforts, you can contribute here:
Support Druze Advocacy
Protect the Druze community worldwide.
The Druze are facing a deliberate campaign of ethnic cleansing.
https://covenantnonprofit.com/
Every donation helps raise awareness, provide humanitarian assistance, and amplify the voices of those under siege.
Silence allows atrocities to continue. Speaking up, sharing information, and supporting credible advocacy efforts can make a difference.
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