Qalb Loze massacre

{{short description|2015 massacre of Syrian Druze in Qalb}}

{{Infobox civilian attack

|title =Qalb Loze massacre

|partof =the Syrian Civil War

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| map = {{Location map | Syria

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| width = 250

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| position = right

| lat_deg = 36.169167

| lon_deg = 36.580556

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|location = Qalb Loze, Idlib Governorate

|target = Druze

|date = 10 June 2015

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|type =Shootout/massacre

|fatalities = 20–24 Druze,
3 al-Nusra Front members

|injuries =

|victim =

|perps = File:Flag_of_the_Al-Nusra_Front.svg Nusra Front

|perpetrators= Al-Nusra Front

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{{Campaignbox Syrian civil war}}

{{druze|History}}

The Qalb Loze massacre was a massacre of Syrian Druzites on 10 June 2015 in the village of Qalb Loze in Syria's northwestern Idlib Governorate. The village was under the control of a coalition of Islamist rebels, when a Tunisian commander of one group in the coalition, the al-Nusra Front, tried to confiscate the house of a villager accused of working for the Syrian government.

When the villagers protested, Tunisian al-Nusra fighter Abu Abd al-Rahman Al-Tunisi and his men opened fire on the protesting villagers,{{Cite web |last=bassamalahmed |date=2022-11-24 |title=Idlib’s Druze Complain of Persecution |url=https://stj-sy.org/en/idlibs-druze-complain-of-persecution/ |access-date=2024-12-28 |website=Syrians for Truth and Justice |language=en-US}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/12/world/middleeast/nusra-front-druse-syria-attack.html |title= Syrian Druse Reconsider Alliances After Deadly Attack |last=Barnard |first=Anne|publisher=NYT|access-date=12 June 2015|date=11 June 2015 }} who were accused of blasphemy.{{cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/al-qaeda-syria-branch-tries-reassure-druze-shoot-193647656.html|title=Al-Qaeda Syria branch tries to reassure Druze after shoot-out|agency=AFP|access-date=27 July 2015}} A Nusra fighter claimed the villagers opened fire first. In the end, 20 people, including elderly individuals and a child, were killed. Three al-Nusra members were also killed.[http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/181751-al-nusra-front-kills-20-druze-in-syria Al-Nusra Front Kills 20 Druze in Syria] Abdel Rahman said some of the villagers had weapons and returned fire, killing three members of Al-Nusra in reaction. Two days later, a report put the number of Druze killed at 24.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

Despite claims by al-Nusra that those responsible for the crime would be held accountable, Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Tunisi, the primary perpetrator, remained free for years following the incident. He was ultimately killed in a firefight with Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in 2021 when he was involved in the kidnapping and murder of the education minister of HTS's Salvation Government.{{Cite web |title=Murder stalks north Syria's Druze and suspicion falls on Uyghur militants |url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/syria-north-druze-murder-uyghur-militants-suspicion |access-date=2024-12-28 |website=Middle East Eye |language=en}} Notably, according to the majority of Islamic jurisprudence schools, a Muslim cannot be executed as punishment (Qisas) for killing a non-Muslim (Kafir), even if the non-Muslim holds the status of Dhimmi (a legally protected person). In such cases, only blood money (Diyya) is required as compensation.{{Cite journal |last=Amanullah |first=Muhammad |date=2018 |title=Juristic Differences over the Implementation of Qiṣāṣ against a Muslim Who Kills a Non-Muslim |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/26567175 |journal=Arab Law Quarterly |volume=32 |issue=2 |pages=185–203 |issn=0268-0556}} However, if the victim does not hold Dhimmi status, no Diyya is required to be paid.{{Cite web |title=ماذا يلزم في قتل الكافر خطأ ذمياً أو محارباً |url=https://www.islamweb.net/ar/fatwa/15014/%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B0%D8%A7-%D9%8A%D9%84%D8%B2%D9%85-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%82%D8%AA%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B1-%D8%AE%D8%B7%D8%A3-%D8%B0%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%8B-%D8%A3%D9%88-%D9%85%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%8B |access-date=2024-12-28 |website=www.islamweb.net |language=ar}} According to Sunni schools of theology, Druze are generally not considered Muslims.{{Cite news |title=Druze in Syria |url=https://rpl.hds.harvard.edu/faq/druze-syria |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241215102126/https://rpl.hds.harvard.edu/faq/druze-syria |archive-date=2024-12-15 |access-date=2024-12-28 |language=en}}

The massacre sparked widespread condemnation in neighbouring Lebanon, which has a considerable Druze minority. Walid Jumblatt responded that "Any inciting rhetoric will not be beneficial, and you should remember that Bashar Assad’s policies pushed Syria into this chaos".{{cite web|url=https://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2015/Jun-12/301735-killings-of-syrian-druze-draws-wide-condemnation.ashx|title=Killings of Syrian Druze draws wide condemnation|work=The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon|access-date=27 July 2015}} In contrast, the Lebanese Druze party chief and former government minister Wiam Wahhab urged the Druze to form an armed force to defend their community in an angry televised speech saying “We will not accept to sell Druze blood!“. His call was much in line with that of the Syrian Druze spiritual leader who directed the Druze to join the Syrian Army.{{cite web|url=http://www.ibtimes.com/who-are-druze-minority-sect-peril-after-syrian-al-qaeda-branch-slaughters-villagers-1963618|title=Who Are The Druze? Minority Sect In Peril After Syrian Al Qaeda Branch Slaughters Villagers|author=Lora Moftah|date=11 June 2015|work=International Business Times|access-date=27 July 2015}} Subsequently, Druze fighters from Sweida assisted the Syrian Army in recapturing an airbase from the Nusra Front.{{cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/syrian-army-drives-rebels-air-south-monitor-070319476.html|title=Syrian Druze join battle to push back rebels in south|date=12 June 2015|work=Yahoo News|access-date=27 July 2015}} Prior to the Qalb Loze killings, Nusra had forced several hundred Druze to convert to Sunni Islam, as well as being accused of desecrating their graves and damaging shrines.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-33092902|title=Syria conflict: Al-Nusra fighters kill Druze villagers|work=BBC News|date=11 June 2015 |access-date=27 July 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2015/06/11/nusra-front-kills-syrian-villagers-from-minority-druze-sect.html|title=Nusra Front kills Syrian villagers from minority Druze sect|date=11 June 2015|work=thestar.com|access-date=27 July 2015}} On June 22, a group of Druze lynched a wounded Syrian in the Golan Heights who was being transported to Israel for treatment, as they claimed he was a rebel fighter.{{cite web|url=http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/182952-israel-arrests-several-druze-after-lynching-of-syrian|title=Israel Arrests Several Druze after 'Lynching' of Syrian|work=Naharnet|access-date=27 July 2015}}