Humanitarian Crisis Affecting Druze and Christian Minorities in Syria

Humanitarian Crisis Affecting Druze and Christian Minorities in Syria

Updated on August 15, 2025

Context #

Starting in July, Sunni Islamist extremists, Bedouin militants, and Syrian government forces committed a series of massacres and atrocities against Druze and Christian religious minorities in Sweida, a city in southwest Syria. According to multiple reports, many hundreds of civilians remain kidnapped or missing and too little aid is reaching the region, despite efforts by Israel and others to open a humanitarian corridor. Fill out the form on this page to call on the U.S. government to hold Syrian authorities accountable and prevent further atrocities.

Sweida is a majority-Druze city in Syria – a majority Sunni Muslim country. The Druze are a religious minority with an estimated population of around 1 million people worldwide. Most live in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel. Druze have faced persecution in the Middle East for centuries. However, in Israel the Druze are an integral part of society and many put their lives on the line for their Jewish neighbors by serving in the IDF.

This is a major reason why Israel took military action to stop the attacks in Sweida.
The atrocities against Druze and Christians in the city reportedly included rape, mass kidnapping, and the murder of children, similar to the massacre Hamas carried out on October 7. Like Hamas, the terrorists in Syria broadcast many of their crimes on social media. They also made genocidal threats. An estimated 1,700 people were killed, 228,000 displaced, and over 720 were kidnapped or went missing.
 
Despite efforts by the U.S. and Israel, Sweida is still under siege and civilians there are not getting enough aid. Additionally, Druze leaders are calling for an international investigation because they do not trust the Syrian government to hold perpetrators of the atrocities accountable.
This story has barely been reported outside the Middle East.
 
Without urgent action, Druze, Christians, and other religious minorities in Syria are at risk of continued genocidal violence. 
 
In Israel, many Druze serve in the IDF and put their lives on the line for the Jewish people. Now they need our help.
 

Join the campaign to urge leaders around the world to:

By taking action your voice can help save lives. Every voice counts.
 

Who are the Druze?

The Druze are a religious minority who split from Islam in the 11th century and have faced persecution in the region since. About 700,000 Druze adherents live in Syria, while 150,000 and 250,000 live in Israel and Lebanon, respectively. 
 
When the Syrian military attacked Syria’s Druze Community, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched an aerial campaign to thwart impending genocide as the world stood still. Israel has continued delivering aid.

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