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Syria’s summer has been overshadowed by a deadly surge in violence, from unprecedented bloodshed in Sweida to bombings and foiled attacks across the country since June. Clashes, assassinations, and suicide bombings have been met with repeated promises of investigations, yet few on the ground believe in swift, transparent justice.
In Sweida, the worst escalation in years erupted on July 12 after reciprocal kidnappings between Druze groups and Bedouin tribes spiraled into rapidly escalating armed clashes. The Syrian Army intervened but, according to the UN and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), the fighting left more than 1,400 dead, mostly Druze civilians, and displaced around 200,000. Witnesses and Druze factions accuse government forces of siding with the Bedouins and committing atrocities, including summary executions, desecration of corpses, and looting. Disturbing footage circulating online has inflamed sectarian tensions and fueled disinformation.
Outrage deepened on July 16 when a video published by local outlet Suwayda 24 and verified by SOHR showed a medical volunteer in the city’s main hospital surrounded by armed men, some in Interior Ministry uniforms. He was shot point-blank then dragged across the floor, leaving a trail of blood. The UN condemned it as a “shocking summary execution.”
The UN Security Council denounced the violence, urging Syria’s interim authorities to protect civilians, uphold ceasefires, and allow full humanitarian access. It also demanded investigations that are prompt, transparent, and impartial.
Yet, the unrest has not been confined to Sweida. On June 22 in Damascus, a suicide bomber targeted the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Elias during a liturgy in the Dweila district, killing 25 and injuring dozens. Authorities initially blamed the Islamic State group before the faction Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah claimed responsibility. Arrests followed.
On August 6 in Tartus, Internal Security Forces said they foiled a plot against the Maronite Church of Mar Elias in al-Khuraybat, in the Safita region, arresting two suspects and seizing explosives.
Buying Time with Empty Promises?
Once again, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has promised to hold perpetrators accountable. But amid deep mistrust, the pledge rings hollow. Following the Alawite civilian massacres on Syria’s coast last March, he established a commission with a 30-day deadline. When no results emerged, the deadline was extended by three months. Since then, no findings have been made public.
For many Syrians, it’s a familiar cycle: tragedy strikes, officials issue statements and announce investigations, then nothing. This pattern erodes public trust and strengthens the belief that those responsible will never face justice.
The Haunting Legacy of Forgotten Investigations
During Lebanon’s years under Syrian occupation from 1976 to 2005, probes into high-profile bombings or political assassinations were often announced to galvanize public opinion, but indefinitely stalled. This pattern of symbolic gestures without follow-through, now echoed by Sharaa, reveals a deeply ingrained dynamic. The judicial silence speaks volumes, mirroring the unresolved inquiries of Lebanon’s past.
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