‘More should be done’: UN pushes Syrian regime on justice for Druze, Alawites and minority groups
The UN condemned continued incidents of summary executions, arbitrary killings, abductions, sexual violence, arbitrary detentions, looting and the destruction of homes.
The Syrian regime needs to take more steps to ensure an end to the violence targeting minority groups in Syria, including violent offences against the Druze community, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights insisted on Friday ahead of the anniversary of the fall of the Assad regime.
Claiming the regime has taken “encouraging steps towards addressing past violations,” including trials of those alleged to have been involved in the massacres in Sweida and the Druze villages, spokespeople for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Thameen Al-Kheethan noted that “distressing accounts” of violence persist.
While the regime has established national commissions for transitional justice and missing persons and investigatory bodies into the massacres, the UN condemned continued incidents of summary executions, arbitrary killings, abductions, sexual violence, arbitrary detentions, looting, destruction of homes, forced evictions, and confiscation of houses, land and property and the limitation of free expression.
“Hundreds were killed since the fall of the former regime, including from gun, knife, and stone attacks, and as a result of shelling, and hand grenades,” Thameen said. “These killings were carried out by security forces of the interim authorities, groups affiliated with them, elements associated with the former government, local armed groups and unidentified armed individuals.”
Body bags lie at Sweida National Hospital, following deadly clashes between Druze fighters, Sunni Bedouin tribes, and government forces, in Syria’s predominantly Druze city of Sweida in July. (credit: Khalil Ashawi/Reuters)
Themeen acknowledged that former armed groups were rapidly integrated into the new security forces “without proper human rights-based vetting” and that this step was an essential component in ensuring no further violations are committed.
Syria’s genocide against Druze
Israeli Druze have repeatedly conveyed to The Jerusalem Post, including in a recent visit to the command center in northern Israel, that regime authorities have orchestrated attacks against their Syrian relatives.
Citing statements from prisoners detained during the attacks on Syrian villages, footage of official cars being used, and Syria’s own admission that a number of security officials were involved in the attacks on Sweida and other villages in southern Syria, the Israeli Druze claimed the Sharaa regime was responsible for the violence.
Sources have also told The Post that Druze are forced to smuggle life-saving medication into Sweida as the regime has prevented resources from entering the villages – including medical devices which were destroyed during the initial massacres.
