Mass rally held in Suwayda to mark 1st anniversary of July events

Residents of Suwayda, together with Druze religious leaders, community dignitaries, and inhabitants of areas along the governorate's borders, gathered on Monday to commemorate the first anniversary of the July 2025 events. The violence, marked by deadly clashes and widespread unrest, left more than 1,000 people dead or injured, in addition to cases of displacement, arbitrary arrests, and abductions, and continues to have lasting humanitarian and security repercussions.

Participants raised pictures of those killed during the events, as well as images of detainees and abductees, alongside panels documenting the developments that unfolded during the night of July 12–13, 2025, widely regarded as the beginning of a wave of confrontations and instability across several parts of Suwayda Governorate.

The commemoration was attended by members of the National Guard, led by Lieutenant Colonel Talal Amer, who said in a speech that "despite the wounds it has endured, Suwayda will remain a symbol of strength and resilience." He also expressed confidence that the coming period "holds promising prospects."

Sheikh Fadi Badriya, one of the Druze community's prominent leaders, said the gathering was held under the slogan, "May God magnify your reward, Mountain," referring to the Jabal people, the historic name of the Suwayda region. He stated that the people of Suwayda "stood united in the face of what the governorate endured," adding that what he described as a "barbaric invasion" had only strengthened the community's commitment to its faith and values, while the ordeal reinforced solidarity and resilience among the people of the mountain.

Badriya added that "the white turbans will remain a symbol of honor, justice, and a blessing for this steadfast mountain," reaffirming the community's commitment to its religious and social values.

Sheikh Jadallah Abo Fakhr, a prominent community leader from the town of Kafr al-Lahf, said that "the young men of the mountain have remained on the front lines since the Black July events and continue to do so today." He stressed that the commemoration "is not merely a moment of mourning, but an occasion to honor those who remained steadfast in their principles and to send a message that the mountain will endure and will not be broken."

He described the anniversary as "a new beginning and a message of strength and resilience," emphasizing that the people of Suwayda's determination to uphold their rights "does not conflict with the values and principles they believe in."

Suwayda Governorate witnessed one of its deadliest waves of violence in July 2025, as clashes and widespread unrest erupted across several areas. According to local estimates and human rights organizations, the violence claimed the lives of more than 1,000 civilians and combatants, left hundreds more injured, and resulted in the arrest or abduction of dozens of people. Thousands of families were displaced from their villages, with many still unable to return to their homes as the humanitarian and security consequences of the events continue to persist.

ANHA