Druze Community Under Attack in Syria: Rising Concerns Over Targeted Violence and Global Silence

News Flash

19 July

While extremist groups continue assaults on the Druze minority in Syria, global outrage remains minimal, raising questions about selective activism

New Delhi: Anshul Saxena, a prominent geopolitical commentator, highlighted ongoing violence against the Druze community in Syria, stating that Islamist extremist groups have been looting, killing, and attacking the Druze, a small but historically significant ethnoreligious group primarily residing in Lebanon, Syria, and Israel.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Saxena drew attention to the lack of international condemnation when the Druze are victims, while pointing out a pattern of global protest only when they defend themselves.

“There is hardly any outrage when the Druze are slaughtered, but the moment they defend themselves, Islamists stage protests, portraying themselves as the oppressed and the victims,” Saxena wrote on his official handle @AskAnshul.

The Druze are known for their unique and closed religious tradition, which does not allow conversion and is based on beliefs including reincarnation. Their historical resilience has often placed them in complex regional conflicts, especially in war-torn Syria, where multiple factions continue to fight for territorial and ideological dominance.

Saxena’s post also underlined the double standards in global reactions to sectarian violence. While the Druze face systemic targeting, including destruction of property and lives, their attempts to defend themselves are often framed negatively by certain international groups.

Human rights observers and religious freedom advocates have repeatedly called for greater awareness and protection of minority communities in conflict zones, but critics argue that media coverage and global political narratives remain selective and inconsistent.