Suwayda probe report cites multiple actors in violations
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – A national committee tasked with investigating the recent events in Suwayda announced on Tuesday it had completed its final report and submitted it to Syria’s Minister of Justice, Mazhar al-Wais, detailing evidence of widespread violations involving multiple parties.
In a statement, the committee said its findings indicate that “individuals belonging to different entities were involved in committing violations,” including members of irregular armed groups, operatives affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS), as well as individuals acting independently or within local groups. The report also cited “evidence confirming the involvement of individuals from government security and military forces.”
According to the committee, army and public security forces attempted to prevent tribal fighters from entering Suwayda but were unsuccessful due to their large numbers, noting that “some individuals showed leniency after witnessing the violations.”
The investigation found that approximately 36 villages in the Suwayda countryside were subjected to burning or destruction, with religious sites also targeted by armed groups from neighboring areas and others from outside the province. The attacks, described as motivated by looting, revenge, and theft, resulted in the displacement of a large number of residents, particularly from the Druze community.
The committee added that initial government measures were taken to address the violations, including the formation of the investigative body and the detention of several suspects who were referred to the judiciary. It noted that continuing such procedures “in a transparent and independent manner constitutes a fundamental step toward enhancing accountability and preventing impunity.”
The report also documented “retaliatory attacks targeting Bedouin population gatherings inside the city of Suwayda and its surroundings through burning, destruction, and looting,” carried out by armed Druze groups, leading to the displacement and forced migration of most Bedouin families in the area.
The committee’s findings were formally handed over to the Ministry of Justice for further legal proceedings.