Militants of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, who are the de facto authorities in Syria, have launched a new campaign of persecution against ethnic and religious minorities. Evidence of mass killings and arrests of members of the Druze community, who had previously refused to recognize the group's authority, is circulating online.

After clashes broke out between HTS militants and Druze militias in the towns of Jarmana and Ashrafia Sadna, the group's leadership called on its supporters to carry out reprisals against the Druze. They stormed Sadna, arrested local Druze leaders, and started ethnic cleansing.

Footage showing the aftermath of mass executions of local residents and the arrest of dozens of people is circulating online. Those detained are subjected to humiliation and public beatings. All atrocities are filmed by militants and published in open sources. 

Government supporters are posting videos online calling for “slaughtering the Druze” and “drowning the uprising in blood.” It is believed that the terrorist regime in Damascus will soon pull enough loyal forces to the capital to launch an offensive on the province of Suwayda, the center of the Druze community in Syria.

Earlier, the militant government launched ethnic cleansing on the Syrian coast, in the provinces of Latakia and Tartus. Thousands of civilians, primarily Christians and members of the Alawite community, fell victim to the aggression.

The residents of Suwayda fear a repeat of the events on the coast, prompting local community leaders to announce the full mobilization of the local militia. At the same time, Israel has begun to lend its support to the Druze. Military aircraft and drones have carried out a series of strikes on HTS militant positions. However, the new Syrian “government” does not seem to be willing to stop the violence against the Druze.