Syria has been experiencing months of tension and violence that have so far resulted in thousands of civilian casualties among the country’s minorities, along with cases of looting, rape, and displacement.

The Alawites were the first to suffer from sectarian violence that ignited in the Syrian coast in March, with thousands killed and widespread killings, looting, and torture causing tens of thousands of civilians to flee.

The UN Committee on Syria reported last month that the violence in the coast in March was systematic and widespread, potentially amounting to war crimes.

The wave of violence spread to Sweida province in southern Syria, where clashes occurred between the Druze on one side and Bedouins and forces loyal to transitional President Ahmad al-Shar’a on the other, resulting in about 2,000 deaths according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, the Druze spiritual leader in Israel, recently visited Brussels where he met European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and other European officials to discuss the Sweida events and violence.

In an interview with Euronews, Sheikh Tarif said they came to raise the voice of their people in Syria, especially after the massacres in Sweida. He called on the European Union, the US, and the world to help return the kidnapped quickly, allow displaced people to return home, and bring humanitarian aid to Sweida.

The UN Security Council condemned the atrocities and violence against civilians three weeks ago, stating in a unanimous statement that the Syrian transitional authorities must ensure accountability for all perpetrators regardless of affiliation, and emphasized the importance of inclusiveness and transparency in justice and reconciliation processes for sustainable peace in Syria.

Sheikh Tarif enumerated violations against several sects in Syria, with the Druze being the latest, noting that tensions remain high. He said, “There were attacks and large massacres against the Alawites, then attacks on our Christian brothers, followed by massacres in Sweida and its surroundings, including killing, rape, looting, and theft. More than 230,000 displaced from their villages. Today, there is a large siege on Sweida with no electricity, water, medicine, or milk for children.”

Amid deteriorating security and sectarian tensions, Israel launched several airstrikes on Damascus and took control of lands in southern Syria under the pretext of protecting the Druze minority, a position Sheikh Tarif does not oppose despite affirming he does not represent Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

He said, “We do not represent the Israeli government. We came here for the Druze community.” He concluded, “Without Israeli intervention, the Druze community in Sweida would have been wiped out.”

The Druze are a sect numbering about 1.5 million worldwide, spread across Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon, with the largest population in Syria. They constitute about 3% of Syria’s population, mainly concentrated in Sweida province, where they make up around 90% of the population. In Israel, the Druze number about 150,000, most of whom hold Israeli citizenship, serve in the Israeli army, and hold high military and political positions, often cited as an example of coexistence and tolerance within the Jewish state.