The Syrian government has pledged to investigate bloody clashes in the southern province of Sweida that killed hundreds last month, the second major incident of sectarian violence since the ouster of longtime leader Bashar al-Assad, Reuters reported, citing BTA.
In a July 31 decree, Justice Minister Muzher al-Wais announced that a seven-member commission, including judges, lawyers and a military officer, would investigate the circumstances surrounding the “events in Sweida“ and submit a report within three months. It will investigate reports of attacks and abuses against civilians and hand over to the judiciary all proven participants in the violence.
The conflict in Sweida began on July 13 between tribal fighters and Druze factions. Government forces were sent to quell the fighting, but the bloodshed deepened, and Israel struck Syrian troops in support of the Druze.
The Druze are a minority religious community with a significant presence in Syria, Lebanon and Israel. Sweida province is predominantly Druze, but it is also home to Sunni tribes, among whom there are long-standing disputes over land and resources.
A U.S.-brokered ceasefire ended nearly a week of fighting in Sweida and surrounding towns.
Earlier in March, hundreds of Alawite civilians were killed in attacks on government forces in Syria’s coastal areas. These events are part of a long-running sectarian conflict inherited from the war that began in 2011 after a brutal crackdown on protests by the Sunni majority.
The fact-finding commission set up after the March killings has handed over 298 people suspected of crimes against Alawites to the judiciary. Its report found no evidence of commanders ordering abuses, and 265 people were named as participants in the initial attack on government forces.