Druze convert and family killed in Syrian violence

Sectarian violence continues to plague Syria, with a Druze Christian convert and 11 members of his clan being killed in an attack in the town of Suwayda.

The victim, Khaled Mezher, is believed to have been a church leader within the Good Shepherd Evangelical Church. At the weekend his home was reportedly subjected to a brutal attack during which he and his relations were killed.

While much has been shared in regards to the attack online, not all of it’s accurate, based on a spokesman for the anti-persecution charity, Open Doors, who said, “Having checked with the local church, we’re confident that is the right account of what happened.”

Suwayda is currently the centre of an ongoing sectarian conflict between the Druze and the Bedouins. The Druze, while not Islamic, have their historic roots in Shia Islam, while the Bedouins are Sunni Muslims.

In December the Syrian government led by Bashar al-Assad was toppled, primarily by the militia group HTS, which began life as an al-Qaeda affiliate. While HTS, which has formed an interim government, has pledged to respect the rights of minorities, there are increasing concerns that despite such intentions, they’re unable to manage the multitude of armed groups within the country.

Since the brand new regime took over there was a massacre of Alawites and a suicide bombing on a church in Damascus. Now violence has erupted in Suwayda.

Leila Samar from Open Doors said the killing of the convert was actually as a consequence of his Druze background relatively than his Christian faith.

“Khaled’s death was not due to his Christian faith but as a consequence of his Druze identity. Yet, this tragedy reflects the continuing insecurity in Suwayda, where civilians, Christian or Muslim, are increasingly vulnerable to violence, displacement, and fear,” she said. 

While the Christians in the realm are usually not directly involved within the Druze-Bedouin conflict, they’re suffering nonetheless.

Juliette Amar, a Syrian aid employee, said the situation was bleak.

“All the Christians in a single village I do know have left their houses without anything – no clothes, no food – and fled to the church,” she said. 

“And the church isn’t prepared for something like this. The children are so scared they can not understand what is happening.

“This is occurring in other towns around Suwayda. Hopefully they’re secure. No armed group has dared to enter the churches. However, those trapped inside can hear all the things happening around them; it’s terrifying.”