The incident unfolded in Suwayda, a mountainous province in southern Syria where the majority of residents belong to the Druze religious minority. The government's assault on the area has drawn condemnation from religious freedom advocates and human rights watchdogs, who fear worsening conditions for minority groups nationwide.

Government Attack Targets Religious Minorities

During the multi-day incursion, Syrian troops reportedly stormed towns and villages in the province and committed a series of atrocities directed at the civilian population. Observers and local communities characterized the actions as being religiously motivated.

Christian Solidarity International (CSI), an organization monitoring religious persecution, reported that government troops entered civilian homes, looted property, and carried out executions. Among the victims was Khaled Mazhar, the pastor of the Good Shepherd Evangelical Church in Suwayda city.

Mazhar was killed along with his wife, children, and several other relatives, totaling 12 people in all. A 13th family member survived, according to CSI, because the attackers mistakenly thought she was already dead.

Alarming Details Emerge From the Ground

Joel Veldkamp, CSI’s international communications director, spoke about the unfolding horror in Suwayda. “We’re still putting together the details on what exactly happened,” Veldkamp explained, before describing how the attackers carried out the killings. “He, and his wife, and his children … were all killed,” he said.

Veldkamp described the assault as explicitly religious, explaining that government troops used derogatory terms for Druze people and shouted religious slogans while carrying out violent acts. “They started killing people and looting homes,” he said, adding that they referred to Druze residents with slurs and accused them of heresy.

Harrowing video evidence also emerged, showing Druze men being forced to jump from balconies before being shot by soldiers who chanted slogans. “I saw some horrible videos I wish I hadn’t seen,” Veldkamp said. “There’s one where soldiers shoot each man as he’s jumping from a balcony.”

Ongoing Danger for Other Minorities

The July assault is not the first time minority groups have come under violent attack in Syria this year. In March 2025, a separate operation targeted members of the Alawite community in another part of the country, raising fears of systematic persecution from the new leadership.

Since the government came under the control of Islamist groups following the fall of longtime President Bashar al-Assad, concerns over religious freedom have deepened. The current leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa — a former Al-Qaeda commander — had pledged to protect Syria’s religious minorities, but rights organizations say actions on the ground suggest otherwise.

“This violence is not something that can be restricted to one community,” Veldkamp warned. “It’s going to spread, and it’s going to affect Christians as well.”

Minority Christians Fear What's Coming

Though Christians have so far not been the primary targets of government crackdowns, watchdogs say the killings in Suwayda mark a dangerous shift. Mazhar’s death highlights how Christian families can be caught in violence aimed initially at other communities.

According to Veldkamp, many Syrian Christians now live in increasing fear. “Daily life is getting a lot more uncomfortable for Christians,” he said, citing reports from within Syria. He added that the only reason Christians have not yet faced broader persecution may be geopolitical strategy.

“Right now, [the Syrian government] needs development aid from the United States and Europe,” Veldkamp said. He explained that the regime may be holding off on openly targeting Christians to avoid losing crucial foreign support.

Growing International Concern Over Crisis

CSI described the violence as one of the bloodiest episodes in Syria’s ongoing civil conflict. “This was one of the worst weeks of the entire Syrian civil war,” Veldkamp said.

The group’s statement emphasized that the Syrian government, under its new leadership, has repeatedly targeted groups like the Druze and Alawites, who are viewed as heretical by jihadist factions. These actions contradict earlier government assurances of religious tolerance following Assad’s departure.

The tragedy in Suwayda has drawn attention to the perilous position of all religious minorities in Syria. Advocates are urging international stakeholders to condition aid and diplomatic engagement based on the protection of human rights.