• The arson attack, carried out on a sectarian basis, resulted in widespread destruction, severely damaging the historic church structure, including the altar and walls.
• Photos and video footage documented the extent of the devastation inside the church, showing charred ceilings and pews, along with clear evidence of deliberate vandalism of Christian icons and religious symbols.
• In addition, cases of theft of sacred relics and liturgical items were recorded, underscoring a clear intent to desecrate places of worship and target the religious identity of the local community.

🔹 This assault constitutes a systematic crime against religious freedom, and a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and international conventions that guarantee the protection of places of worship as civilian sites.

In a heartbreaking scene that reflects the scale of tragedy endured by Suwayda, a church sheltering dozens of displaced children and women was deliberately shelled with mortars fired by elements of the de facto authority’s forces led by Abu Muhammad al-Houlani (Ahmad al-Shar’a), amid a troubling international silence and the ongoing suffocating siege imposed on the city.

In a moving testimony, the father of martyr Nabil Fouad Al-Helou (40 years old) – a young Christian whose very name “Nabil” in Arabic means noble, honorable, and virtuous – spoke about the killing of his son by a sniper bullet to the chest, fired by jihadist fighters from the General Security and Ministry of Defense of the de facto authority, alongside allied tribal militias, while he was near the targeted church.

The grieving father raised his voice, appealing to international and humanitarian organizations to assume their responsibilities and act urgently to lift the siege on the city and provide protection for innocent civilians – especially children and women, who face the threat of death every single day.

Martyr Salama Dakhlallah Al-Jaber, a young Christian, was studying Arabic literature and had started his own project to support his family amid difficult economic circumstances. He embodied the spirit of a hardworking young man balancing education and work, before his life was abruptly ended by treacherous gunfire.
• On July 16, during the violent events unfolding in Suwayda Governorate, Jihadists fighters of the General Security and Ministry of Defense of the de facto authority, alongside allied tribal militias, deliberately targeted Martyr Salama with a sniper shot.
• The attack occurred at Al-Zanbaqa Square – Qanawat Street.
• He was left bleeding on the ground for 24 hours, and his body was only transferred to the hospital the following day.

His sister, Hiba Dakhlallah Al-Jaber, stated that her brother was a young man who dreamed of a better future for his family, but the hand of sectarian terrorism ended his life in cold blood, denying him the chance to realize his aspirations. Her poignant testimony reflects the tragedy experienced by Christian and Druze families in the governorate.