Executive Summary

Syria’s security situation and transitional stability remain volatile, with sectarian tensions escalating among religious minorities. Damascus’s response to the Sweida flashpoint is likely to remain a primary driver of sectarian tensions between the Druze and Sunni communities for the remainder of the year, as credible reports confirm that Sunni actors loyal to the government committed serious violations against unarmed civilians of Druze origin, including extrajudicial executions, desecration of corpses, and targeted destruction of personal property.

These incidents have fuelled retaliatory sentiment and religious persecution, paving the way for the Bedouin minority in Sweida to face permanent displacement from Druze strongholds as a result of ongoing violence and sectarian tensions. The United Nations reports that nearly 93,000 individuals were displaced as of late July, with a significant portion relocating to Daraa to escape targeted killings or religious violence. 

Regarding additional minorities, patterns of gender-based violence against Alawite women and children are emerging in coastal Syria that indicate they remain at elevated risk from both state-affiliated and non-state actors. In particular, Amnesty International and the United Nations panel on gender violence cite forced marriages and sexual assaults. Survivor accounts corroborate these findings, suggesting that gender-based violence is being systematically weaponised as a form of sectarian retribution that shows no sign of stopping.