U.S. Commission on Religious Freedom: Sharp Deterioration in Religious Liberties in Syria During 2025

Welat TV – Erbil

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has released a new report on religious freedom and the rule of law in Syria, stating that the country witnessed a “dramatic deterioration” in the condition of religious minorities during 2025 amid escalating sectarian violence and weak accountability measures.

The report, issued on Thursday, May 14, 2026, stated that despite the transitional authorities’ pledges to reject sectarianism, they demonstrated what it described as “systematic tolerance” toward serious violations targeting Alawites, Druze, Christians, and other minorities.

According to the report, the authorities failed to prevent or contain incidents of mass killings, kidnappings, and attacks described as sectarian in nature. The report stated that Syria’s coastal region witnessed large-scale attacks in March carried out by fighters linked to the transitional authorities against Alawite civilians in the governorates of Tartous, Latakia, and Hama, resulting in the deaths of at least 1,500 people over two days.

It also referred to deadly clashes in Jaramana during April following the circulation of posts alleging that a Druze leader had insulted the Prophet Muhammad, in addition to a bombing targeting Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus in June that reportedly killed at least 25 people during Sunday mass.

In Suwayda Province, the report described escalating violence following the kidnapping of a Druze merchant in July, stating that subsequent confrontations resulted in approximately 2,000 deaths amid accusations that transitional forces participated in operations against local residents.

The report further noted that investigations conducted by the United Nations and international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, concluded that Syrian security forces and the Ministries of Interior and Defense played a direct role in unlawful killings targeting civilians from the Alawite and Druze communities. It added that official accountability measures were characterized by delays and a lack of transparency, with slow investigations and insufficient penalties for those involved, alongside criticism of the authorities’ response to kidnappings and assaults targeting women from religious minorities.

The report also stated that since taking power, the transitional authorities have adopted measures that it said restricted freedom of religion and belief, including the integration of armed factions into the new state institutions, among them Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, as well as the appointment of military and security officials accused of previous abuses.

Regarding northern and eastern Syria, the report said the Syrian Democratic Forces continued to maintain a multi-religious governance model despite ongoing Turkish attacks and the activities of armed factions accused of targeting Yezidis and Christians.

The report also addressed U.S. policy toward Syria, noting that U.S. President Donald Trump announced the lifting of sanctions on Syria during the year, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio removed Hayat Tahrir al-Sham from the list of foreign terrorist organizations, alongside continued American cooperation with the Syrian Democratic Forces against the threat posed by the Islamic State.