One year after July violence, Swedia still awaits justice, recovery

A year since the conflict took place in Sweida, Syria's governorate on 13th July 2025, the governorate continues to be affected by the impact of one of the deadliest times in the recent history of the province. The fighting has calmed down but there are a number of issues which need to be dealt with such as displacement, missing persons, responsibility and returning of people to their villages.

In a matter of just a few days in July last year, a series of clashes that broke out in the governorate in the countryside after an incident relating to the security and involving armed tribesmen and gunmen grew into a massive battle involving government troops and later Israelis.

The violence spread to dozens of villages, leaving hundreds of people dead or injured, displacing thousands, and causing widespread destruction of homes and property before a ceasefire was reached. The events left behind a fundamentally different reality from that which existed prior to July 2025.

Response of the Government in the last year

Regarding the issue of accountability, the interim government, on 31 July 2025, formed a National Committee to Investigate the Violations committed in the course of Sweida. It was expected to conduct investigations, gather the evidence, listen to witnesses' testimony, and define those responsible for the violations.

Having worked for about eight months, the Ministry of Justice, in March 2026, announced the receipt of the report of the committee, noting that its conclusions had been handed over to the judicial institutions to prosecute the involved individuals.

Approaching one year since the events took place, the Syrian authorities, in the beginning of July 2026, announced the holding of the first trial hearings at the Military Court in Damascus involving the defendants, which had been referred to by the Military Public Prosecutor. The authorities noted that the investigations were still under way and that everyone who would be found guilty would face accountability. Nevertheless, they have not disclosed the total number of defendants or published the report of the investigation committee yet.

In a statement made on 9 July 2026, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic completed its visit to Syria with an important reminder regarding the necessity of guaranteeing fair trials, holding responsible parties for the crimes against people during the coastal and Sweida incidents, and involving more victims and civil society in the process of bringing about justice.

On the other hand, religious leaders, human rights organizations, and the civil society of Sweida claim that the efforts by the government are far from meeting the expectations of the victims. In their view, justice can never be realized through the formation of committees and the initiation of trials. Rather, what is needed at the moment is the publication of the results of the investigation process transparently, revealing the identities of all people responsible for the crimes committed, bringing both the orderers and perpetrators of the violations to account, making clear the whereabouts of the missing, releasing all detainees, the return of the displaced population, and compensating the affected people.

In another context, the spiritual head of the Druze community, Sheikh Hikmat Salman al-Hijri, has emphasized the need to enhance social cohesiveness and the development of local institutions in the governorate without the interference of the government through the "Jabal Bashan" project, while condemning the ongoing violations perpetrated against the citizens.

Thousands remain displaced one year later

In spite of the lapse of a full year, displacement still constitutes one of the governorate's toughest humanitarian crises.

Ashraf Mundhir, director of the Shelters Administration in Sweida and a public affairs activist, in an exclusive interview with ANHA agency commemorating the first anniversary, said that immediate assessments following the crisis showed the displacement of about 23,000 families from villages in the north and west countryside following the destruction of those regions by fires.

Moreover, around 5,000 families have moved out of Sweida to different locations inside and outside Syria. Today, there are about 18,000 families who have been displaced in Sweida, scattered in the governorate's cities and east and south countryside.

As per Mundhir, these families constitute around 61,000 people who have lost their homes, farms, and livelihoods. They are now struggling to survive in difficult circumstances such as collective shelters, rented accommodations, or residing with relatives.

He informed us that there are currently 75 collective shelters operating in the governorate which only accommodate around 1,200 families whereas the rest of the displaced families live in rented accommodation or stay with their host families in extremely harsh economic conditions.

According to the same surveys, around 900 disabled and specially-abled persons are among the displaced people along with almost 10,000 patients suffering from chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart diseases, and hypertension. Additionally, around 11,500 children below the age of twelve years need educational facilities, health care, and psychotherapy.

Mundhir also said that as per their records, there are 22 villages which have been entirely evacuated by their native inhabitants because of the continuous challenges that have prevented their return along with the lack of necessary conditions to sustainably resettle there. These villages include Al-Mazra'a, Al-Dour, Al-Tayra, Labin, Ariqa, Kafr al-Lahf, Rimat al-Lahf, Samid, Dama, Najran, Al-Surah al-Kabira, Al-Surah al-Saghira, Al-Matuna, and Umm al-Zaytoun.

Victims, missing persons, and detainees

The consequences of what took place in July have not only been in terms of displacement but also in relation to the number of missing persons and detainees, which continues to be one of the most critical problems facing the families of the victims, some of whom continue to hold daily protests to demand the release of their families.

According to human rights activist Munib al-Hussein, who himself was displaced from the town of Al-Mazra'a, the governorate "has lost more than 3,000 people" with the majority of them continuing to search for information on the fate of their relatives even one year since the events took place.

Al-Hussein revealed that there were more than 100 missing persons in addition to dozens of detainees, even with several exchanges of prisoners taking place during the past few months. According to him, there are numerous families who still do not know anything about the fate of their relatives.

According to him, in terms of the information they possess, some of them remain imprisoned at Adra and Tartous prisons while the fate of others is still unknown.

Villages awaiting the return of their displaced inhabitants

In his interview, Al-Hussein was certain that the return of the displaced inhabitants to their villages would be long delayed due to the fact that some villages had been attacked, looted, and burnt down.

He explained that the displaced inhabitants are committed to return to their villages through their right of return but they insisted that any return would have to be preceded by security guarantees, the explanation of the fate of those who were missing, and the rebuilding of the devastated areas.

The displaced inhabitants insisted that they would return only with international guarantees and the removal of the government security apparatus from their villages.

A changed security landscape

From a security perspective, ANHA correspondent reports that Sweida is currently experiencing relative calm compared with last year following the cessation of large-scale military operations. Nevertheless, an atmosphere of caution persists due to the widespread availability of weapons, with stability depending largely on local understandings rather than state institutions.

The July events have also reshaped relations between the governorate and Syria's interim government by adding new issues to existing disagreements, particularly accountability for violations, the future of security arrangements, the return of displaced residents, and compensation for those affected.

An economy burdened by losses

Economically, the governorate continues to suffer the consequences of the conflict. The agricultural and commercial sectors sustained substantial losses, while thousands of residents lost their livelihoods following the destruction of their homes, farmland, and property.

Although some economic activity has resumed, our correspondent reports that inadequate public services, soaring living costs, limited employment opportunities, and the continued deterioration of infrastructure in several areas remain daily challenges for the population.

ANHA