Suwayda death toll reaches 248 as clashes rage
Heavy shelling and street battles have plunged the southern Syrian city of Suwayda into a deepening humanitarian emergency, with at least 248 people killed since fighting erupted on July 13, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Wednesday.
The violence—pitting Druze factions against Bedouin gunmen and Syrian government forces—has spiraled despite a declared truce, which quickly collapsed as fighting resumed across several districts.
According to SOHR, regime troops bombarded Suwayda and neighboring Sahwat al-Balat overnight with artillery, mortars, and drones, hitting civilian areas and knocking out electricity and internet services. Key infrastructure remains crippled, exacerbating already dire conditions.
#المرصد_السوري لحقوق الإنسان يُناشد بفتح معابر إنسانية عاجلة تتيح للمدنيين مغادرة مناطق القصف في ظل التعتيم الإعلامي المتواصل وانقطاع شبكتي الكهرباء والإنترنت عن مختلف مناطق المحافظة https://t.co/YB8qlSIxWR
— المرصد السوري لحقوق الإنسان (@syriahr) July 16, 2025
Battles raged near Suwayda National Hospital, where medical teams have been working for over 72 hours without power or proper supplies, while snipers positioned along the Citadel–Tishreen Square corridor have cut off access to the facility, the watchdog cautioned.
The Observatory documented 71 civilian deaths—including four children and two women—alongside 156 government-aligned fighters, including 18 Bedouin combatants, with an additional 21 people reportedly executed by units linked to Syria's Defense and Interior Ministries.
Tishreen Square remains a focal point, with ongoing sniper fire and gun battles, SOHR reported, pointing to government trucks leaving the area loaded with personal belongings.
The escalation follows recent Israeli airstrikes on Suwayda and its outskirts. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Damascus, demanding regime forces withdraw from Druze-majority areas.
#المرصد_السوري بعد ساعات من التحليق في الجنوب السوري.. الطيران #الإسرائيلي يـ ـسـ ـتـ ـهـ ـدف آلية عسكرية بـ #السويداء https://t.co/wV45CgdEK7
— المرصد السوري لحقوق الإنسان (@syriahr) July 16, 2025
'Israel will not abandon the Druze community and will enforce our demilitarization policy,' he declared, adding that Tel Aviv would continue targeting regime positions and would escalate operations if Damascus fails to comply.
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