In recent weeks, the city of As-Suwayda and the eponymous province in southern Syria, predominantly inhabited by the Druze religious community, have been experiencing brutal clashes and fighting between Bedouin Arabs and Druze. According to various reports, these clashes have resulted in the deaths of several hundred to over a thousand people, with many civilians wounded, taken captive, and missing. These are predominantly members of the Druze community, whose cities, towns, and places of worship have been attacked by radical Syrian extremists with the tacit support of these actions by the new Syrian authorities.

Among the deceased is Pastor Khaled Mezhir, of Druze origin, from the Good Shepherd Evangelical Church in As-Suwayda. He was martyred for his faith along with his wife, parents, and over 20 members of his family. Based on available data, they were brutally killed on Saturday, July 19, 2025. The Evangelical Church in As-Suwayda is now scattered, and many believers are missing. The survivors are enduring unimaginable suffering due to artillery and rocket shelling, lack of food, water, electricity, communication, and hope for safety, despite the ceasefire declared by the new Syrian authorities. Earlier in June of this year, a terrorist act occurred near Damascus during a prayer service at the Christian Orthodox Church of Mar Elias, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries.

Witnessing this brutal violence and persecution on ethnic and religious grounds, we recall similar crimes that Russia has been committing on the territory of Ukraine since 2014 to the present day. These include the abduction, torture, and murder of four ministers of a Christ Transfiguration Pentecostal church in Sloviansk (Donetsk region), the illegal imprisonment of many clergy of various denominations by the Russian occupying authorities, the destruction of churches, the seizure of religious buildings and their use for military purposes, missile, drone, and bomb terror attacks on populated areas and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, the murder of peaceful civilians, and so forth.

We, the Heads of Ukrainian churches and religious organizations, strongly condemn the violence against the Druze and the unprovoked killings in As-Suwayda province. We call upon the leading nations of the world (USA, Great Britain, France, Germany, Turkey, and other countries) to take all measures to stop the bloodshed in southern Syria and protect people's lives and their right to freedom of religion. We appeal to representatives of various churches and religious organizations to pray for an end to the tragedy in the Syrian province of As-Suwayda and to speak out for truth, for those who are persecuted and in need.

We express our deepest condolences to the victims of this tragedy, pray for them and their loved ones, and for the establishment of genuine peace for the people living in this province.

July, 25th, 2025 

Kyiv, Ukraine