27 killed in less than 10 days in a wave of sectarian violence: SOHR
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The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports 27 killings in under 10 days as sectarian violence escalates across Syria, alongside repeated Israeli incursions into Quneitra.
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Syrian government forces deploy at the Mazraa village on the outskirts of the city of Sweida, where clashes erupted between Sunni Bedouin clans and Druze militants, southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025 (AP)
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented the killing of 27 citizens from various sects in less than 10 days, as a wave of sectarian and retaliatory killings sweeps across different regions of Syria.
The Observatory stated that the country is witnessing a dangerous escalation of violence linked to religious affiliations and past associations with the former regime, amid a complete absence of security forces capable of enforcing the law.
The killings and assassinations continue to occur outside any legal framework or fair trials, turning vast areas into battlegrounds of bloody conflict that spread fear and fuel hatred among different social groups, according to the SOHR.
These operations make no distinction between civilians and individuals with security or political affiliations, resulting in dozens of victims from all sects and causing a destabilization of Syria's social fabric amid unprecedented humanitarian and security challenges, the Observatory noted.
Calls to action fall on deaf ears
The Observatory called on relevant authorities to immediately expose those responsible for these crimes and bring them to justice, warning that the ongoing wave of violence and organized crimes ravaging Syrian society will continue in the absence of a serious strategy to protect civilians.
It further warned that ignoring these crimes creates a breeding ground for retaliatory killings and grants perpetrators implicit immunity, particularly as impunity becomes widespread and deterrent mechanisms to protect civil peace remain absent.
Continuing unchecked, these killings fuel revenge sentiments and heighten the likelihood of recurring violence, with the monitoring group stressing that targeting individuals based on sectarian affiliation or security backgrounds constitutes a blatant violation of international law and human rights. It demanded immediate cessation, thorough investigation, and strict accountability.
The statement further urged the international community and human rights organizations to intensify pressure on relevant Syrian actors to halt these violations, which are compounding civilian suffering while systematically undermining prospects for peace and stability in the region.
While these violent killings and incidents unfolded in scattered parts of Syria, "Israel" has continued violating Syria's sovereignty, pushing deeper into Quneitra and establishing more military checkpoints.
'Israel' pushes deeper into Syrian south
Elsewhere, in a different prart of the country, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported a new Israeli incursion in central Quneitra countryside on Saturday, as an occupation force of 10 armored SUVs carrying troops advanced from the Western Tal Ahmar base toward the roads linking the towns of Breiqa and Kodana, where they established a new military checkpoint in the area.
The monitoring group noted that the checkpoint's presence has stirred tensions among local residents, as Israeli military movements continue along the border amid growing fears of potential security escalation in the area.
This development comes just one day after a similar incursion was observed in southern Quneitra countryside, when five military vehicles from the same base advanced toward the Rafeid-Alsha road and set up another checkpoint along the route.
Meanwhile, in central Quneitra countryside, another force consisting of five armored vehicles penetrated the town of Ruwayhina, establishing a temporary checkpoint where they conducted searches of pedestrians and vehicles, triggering renewed anxiety and frustration among residents over these repeated incursions.
The Observatory emphasized that these incursions occur within a pattern of repeated violations of Syrian sovereignty by Israeli occupation forces, who have seized vast areas of southern Syrian territory while conducting near-daily operations involving armed penetrations, raids, and arbitrary detentions.
