During the terrorist assault on al-Suwayda, forces of the General Security and the Ministry of Defense of the de facto authorities, alongside loyalist tribal militias under the command of Transitional President Ahmad al-Shar‘a (“al-Joulani”), set fire to all houses of worship in the village, including Christian churches and Druze shrines.

🔺 It is noteworthy that a similar pattern of violations targeted other Christian churches and Druze religious sites across al-Suwayda governorate. These acts amount to religious persecution and forced displacement, falling within the scope of crimes against humanity under international law.

This atrocity reflects a systematic policy pursued by the de facto authorities, which instrumentalize sectarianism as a tool to dismantle Syria’s historic pluralism, entrenching a campaign of sectarian cleansing that threatens the unity and future of Syrian society.

The attack was carried out by members of the General Security and Ministry of Defense under the de facto authorities, along with allied tribal militias led by Interim President Ahmad al-Shar’a (“al-Jolani”), during the broader terrorist assault on Suwayda. The entire village was forcibly displaced in the aftermath.

🔹 The documentation reveals charred remains of the church, a stark image reflecting the scale of devastation inflicted upon both Christian churches and Druze religious sites alike.

This act constitutes a crime of religious persecution and the deliberate destruction of places of worship, falling under the scope of crimes against humanity as defined by international law.

It further demonstrates the systematic nature of the attack, in which Syria’s historic religious and social pluralism has been deliberately targeted as part of an ongoing policy of sectarian cleansing.

The attack was carried out by Jihadist members of the General Security and Ministry of Defense affiliated with the de facto authorities, alongside pro-regime tribal militias led by the transitional leader Ahmad Al-Shar’ (“Al-Joulani”), in mid-July 2025.

🔹 The documentation, captured on Thursday, 17/7/2025, shows the extent of destruction and vandalism inflicted on the church’s walls, images, and statues, as well as the theft of significant religious artifacts.

This attack constitutes a religious persecution crime and deliberate targeting of places of worship, falling within the scope of crimes against humanity under international law.