While Amnesty International's report addressed the recent violations in the southern province of Sweida—which we condemn and absolutely do not justify—it overlooked a crucial and sensitive aspect: the systematic violations committed against Bedouin tribes and migrants from other Syrian provinces from 2011 to the present day.
Since the beginning of the Syrian revolution, security forces, led by Muharram al-Harb Wafiq Nasser, have formed armed gangs that have expanded and sowed chaos in Sweida, targeting members of the tribes and migrants to the province with kidnappings and other abuses. This has been done amidst social silence and security protection, with the aim of changing the demographics of Sweida.
After the withdrawal of the army and security forces from the province following the events of July 2025, these gangs escalated their violations, turning into acts of revenge targeting families who have lived in Sweida for decades and who had no connection to the events other than their different religious affiliations. The violations included kidnappings, killings, and the looting of homes under the pretext of excluding any Bedouin or Sunni presence in the area.
Targeting civilians based on religious or sectarian affiliation constitutes a crime against humanity under international law and is part of a systematic policy of persecution no less serious than any other violations in the country.
The report makes no mention of the mass grave where dozens of civilians and security personnel were buried in Sweida without documentation or transparency!
Credibility and impartiality require human rights organizations to document all violations without selectivity or ignoring, to convey the suffering of all victims, regardless of their affiliations, and to avoid passing on fragmented narratives that obscure an entire aspect of the ongoing suffering.
The families of the victims from the tribes have the right to have their voices heard and to have their suffering recorded in international reports, as they are an integral part of the truth and the basis for achieving comprehensive justice that redresses all.
Kinan Ibn al-Jabal - Zaman al-Wasl
Comments About This Article
Please fill the fields below.