US EditionDruze demand self determination in largest protest held since deadly clashes in Syria
Hundreds protested for justice and self-determination after clashes killed around 1,600 people, marking the largest Druze mobilization in southern Syria since July, activists said.
- Hundreds of Druze protested for self-determination on August 16, 2025, in Sweida, Syria, waving Israeli flags at the largest rally since deadly July clashes.
- The protests followed heavy July 13 clashes between Druze militias, Sunni Bedouin tribes, and government forces amid Syria's fragile post-Assad transition marked by ongoing ethnic divisions.
- Israel intervened in July to support the Druze by launching airstrikes against Syrian government targets, while the interim government formed a committee last month to investigate sectarian violence in the south.
- Activist Rayyan Maarouf described the protest as a historic development for the Druze community in Syria, highlighting it as the first demonstration to adopt the call for self-determination and noting that nearby towns also took part.
- The events highlight persistent instability after years of civil war, with hundreds killed—including many Druze civilians—and continued demands for justice and international support.
34 Articles
34 Articles
Waving Israeli flags, Syrian Druze call for intervention in unprecedented push for se
Hundreds protest in Sweida and nearby towns, the largest rally since July’s deadly clashes, demanding justice and rejecting Damascus’ interim rule; some call for Israeli intervention after Israel defended Druze during last month’s fighting
Hundreds of protesters gathered in the southern Syrian city of Suwayda to condemn recent clashes between ethnic groups and demand the right to self-determination for the Suwayda province, where the majority population is Druze.
Historic Druze Protests Erupt in Syria: Demand for Self-Determination
In Syria's city of Sweida, the largest protests since last month's deadly clashes have erupted, with the Druze minority demanding self-determination. Triggered by ethnic tensions post-Assad regime collapse, the demonstrations also saw demands for justice against atrocities. Israeli intervention during earlier clashes has garnered support among protesters.
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