Shafaq News – Damascus

On Friday, Syria’s Minister of Justice Mudhir al-Wais issued a decree establishing a special committee to investigate the recent wave of violence in Suwayda, which left more than 1,300 people dead and caused significant damage to both public and private property.

The committee—comprised of judges, security officials, and lawyers—has been tasked with identifying the root causes of the unrest, probing alleged violations against civilians and infrastructure, and referring those responsible for acts of violence or sabotage to the judiciary.

According to the decree, the panel must submit a detailed report within 90 days to the Ministry of Justice and other relevant bodies, potentially laying the groundwork for legal proceedings.

Since transitional President Ahmad al-Sharaa took office, the country has faced a series of sectarian clashes that have raised alarm over the safety of minority communities.

Some of the most severe violence occurred earlier this year in the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartous, strongholds of the Alawite minority. Fighting erupted when pro-Assad loyalists engaged in confrontations with government forces, triggering a wave of retaliatory attacks. The clashes resulted in over 1,400 deaths, mostly among Alawite civilians. In response, al-Sharaa ordered an investigation that named nearly 300 individuals for prosecution.

More recently, the unrest shifted to Suwayda, a predominantly Druze province, where escalating tensions between local armed groups and Bedouin tribes have drawn government forces into the fray.