Syria: Death toll from violence in the south tops 1,000, says monitor
A ceasefire announced on Saturday appeared to be holding after earlier agreements failed to end fighting between longtime rivals the Druze and the Bedouin that spiralled to draw in the Islamist-led government, the Israeli military and armed tribes from other parts of Syria.
AFP correspondents on the outskirts of Sweida city reported hearing no clashes on Sunday morning, with government forces deployed in some locations in the province to enforce the truce and at least one humanitarian convoy headed for the Druze-majority city.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that since around midnight, "Sweida has been experiencing a cautious calm", adding government security forces had blocked roads leading to the province in order to prevent tribal fighters from going there.
The Britain-based Observatory gave an updated toll on Sunday of more than 1,000 killed since the violence erupted a week ago, including 336 Druze fighters and 298 civilians from the minority group, as well as 342 government security personnel and 21 Sunni Bedouin.
Witnesses, Druze factions and the Observatory have accused government forces of siding with the Bedouin and committing abuses including summary executions when they entered Sweida days ago.
Hanadi Obeid, a 39-year-old doctor, told AFP that "the city hasn't seen calm like this in a week".
'Totally calm'
The interior ministry said overnight that Sweida city was "evacuated of all tribal fighters, and clashes within the city's neighbourhoods were halted".
The Observatory had said Druze fighters retook control of the city on Saturday evening.
Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa had on Saturday announced a fresh ceasefire in Sweida and renewed a pledge to protect Syria's ethnic and religious minorities in the face of the latest sectarian violence since Islamists overthrew longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December.
A spokesman for Syria's tribal and clan council told Al-Jazeera late Saturday that fighters had left the city "in response to the call of the presidency and the terms of the agreement".
Another medic inside Sweida told AFP by telephone on Sunday that "the situation is totally calm... We aren't hearing clashes."
"No medical or relief assistance has entered until now," the medic added, requesting anonymity due to the security situation.
Inside the city, where around 150,000 people live, residents have been holed up in their homes without electricity and water, and food supplies have also been scarce.
State news agency SANA published images showing medical aid being prepared near the health ministry in Damascus and quoted Health Minister Musab al-Ali as saying assistance would be delivered to Sweida's main hospital, where bodies have piled up.
'Critical juncture'
US special envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said Sunday that the country stood at a "critical juncture", adding that "peace and dialogue must prevail -- and prevail now".
"All factions must immediately lay down their arms, cease hostilities, and abandon cycles of tribal vengeance," he wrote on X, saying "brutal acts by warring factions on the ground undermine the government's authority and disrupt any semblance of order".
Sharaa's announcement Saturday came hours after the United States said it had negotiated a ceasefire between Syria's government and Israel, which had bombed government forces in both Sweida and Damascus earlier in the week.
Israel, which has its own Druze community, has said it was acting in defence of the group, as well as to enforce its demands for the total demilitarisation of Syria's south.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday urged the Syrian government's security forces to prevent jihadists from entering and "carrying out massacres" in the south, and called on Damascus to "bring to justice anyone guilty of atrocities including those in their own ranks".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
an hour ago
- The National
Despite the Sweida clashes, Trump's backing of Al Shara will remain solid
US President Donald Trump has boundless self-confidence. He is undoubtedly intelligent and bold, and a master of risk-taking and deal-making. But he sometimes puts blinkers on when dealing with the rest of the world. The problem with blinkers is that they lead to tunnel vision, obstructing the development of a broad or deep perspective, and reducing perception to a single direction. Mr Trump surrounds himself with family and a handful of billionaire loyalists, and often dismisses complexity, history and the fundamental principles of strategic policymaking. This has been evident in his handling of several global files, including the future of Syria – a country trying to get back on its feet after the exit of Bashar Al Assad's government last December. Syria is currently grappling with violent clashes in the southern province of Sweida, involving forces loyal to President Ahmad Al Shara's government, the Druze and the Bedouins living in that part of the country. The US President's Syria file is now effectively managed by Tom Barrack, his ambassador to Turkey. A billionaire businessman, Mr Barrack is savvy and politically attuned, but views policy primarily through an investment lens just like Mr Trump and his other close advisers. There is less emphasis on historically grounded political frameworks. For them, financial power is the foundation of geostrategy. Mr Trump's fondness for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – a relationship that is key to Syria's future – didn't arise overnight. Over the years, Mr Trump has lavished Mr Erdogan with praise, backed him within Nato, and accommodated his concerns regarding the Kurdish movement both inside and outside Syria. The US President agrees to Turkey's influence in Syria. Ankara's role in ousting the Assad establishment, pushing Iran out of Syria, and undercutting Russia's foothold there have all unfolded in full co-ordination with Washington. Indeed, Turkey alone might not have orchestrated these dramatic reversals in Syria without tacit US support. Today, Mr Al Shara's hold over power is the product of US-Turkish investment with backing from key Arab powers. These stakeholders see Mr Al Shara as a stabilising force who can prevent Syria from slipping into total chaos. They believe his background as leader of the now-defunct Hayat Tahrir Al Sham means he can negotiate with the fundamentalist forces he emerged from, and that he understands the language of appeasement needed to co-opt and contain them. Mr Trump's representatives in Syria and Turkey often sing in Ankara's choir. They view Turkey as the senior supervisor and guarantor in Syria, sharing influence with Washington and some of its Arab partners. For the US President's circle, this soft American tutelage over Syria is enough, the task delegated to Turkish influence over critical Syrian institutions, provided that Turkey and Israel maintain an understanding, even if through superficial cordiality. Israel remains America's foremost ally after all, and its share in any regional arrangements must therefore be always assured. The Trump administration is aligned with Israel's ambitions to establish a buffer zone inside Syria and to designate southern Syria a demilitarised zone. It supports Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights and is working on a framework for Israeli-Syrian security arrangements to replace the current UN Disengagement Observer Force. This would be a stepping stone to a transitional agreement and, eventually, a form of normalisation between the two neighbours. The Israelis, however, don't share the US's assessment of Syria's extremist factions. They don't believe Mr Al Shara is willing or able to dismantle these factions, nor that he can completely break with his past associations with key extremist groups. In other words, Israel is far less enthusiastic than the Trump team is about positioning Mr Al Shara as Syria's future. While Israel is open to forging new security agreements and even exploring versions of the Abraham Accords with Syria, it isn't prepared to invest in Mr Al Shara the way Washington and Ankara are. It doubts the Syrian President can meet American-Israeli demands because his core base would never allow it. That may be a realistic reading. In truth, Mr Al Shara's powers are either exaggerated – given that he lacks a viable army to enforce presidential authority independently – or he tacitly agrees with his base's opposition to the American-Israeli agenda but seeks to avoid direct confrontation with Israel due to the latter's military superiority. What matters most to Trump is the investment in Al Shara, working in tandem with Ankara, and nudging Israel towards a scenario in which Damascus does little to obstruct Israel's agenda The Trump administration is turning a blind eye to the recent clashes in Syria. The US President has put on his blinkers once again, unwilling even to consider that his policies might facilitate the resurgence of ISIS and other extremist groups. He is thus unconcerned about warnings of Syria's possible fragmentation and partition if the violence gets out of hand. That's why his administration has dismissed recent turmoil in Sweida as mere tribal skirmishes between the Druze and the Bedouins. Indeed, what matters most to Mr Trump is the investment in Mr Al Shara, working in tandem with Ankara, and nudging Israel towards a scenario in which Damascus does little to obstruct Israel's agenda. In exchange, the Syrian President would receive US support, perhaps including help to rebuild the military alongside securing international legitimacy and the promise of reintegration and reconstruction. The Trump administration understands that Russia is now out of Syria, with no path for return. And it is determined not to allow Iran any opening to re-enter Syria either. Yet Mr Trump and his advisers appear to believe that financial power solves all problems. They hence believe that co-opting figures aligned with Mr Al Shara – regardless of ideology – could help pacify them, based on the principle of resource-sharing to prevent territorial fragmentation. As for the Druze, the Trump camp believes it could fare better under a model of limited self-governance yet without full secession. It envisages a scenario in which this key minority group benefits from the envisioned buffer zone to enjoy a degree of autonomy within Syria's governing framework. What matters most to the Trump team is the conviction that a stable Syria is the strongest bulwark against an ISIS resurgence, and that Mr Al Shara is the lock on that door.
Zawya
an hour ago
- Zawya
President El-Sisi Meets Secretary-General of the League of Arab States
Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit. The Spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, said the meeting addressed the latest developments pertinent to Arab crises and issues, mainly the situation in Gaza Strip and the West Bank, as well as the massive efforts being made by Egypt and Qatar to achieve a ceasefire and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. This is in addition to the pursuit of a just and comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian cause through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, in accordance with international legitimacy, the protection of the rights of the Palestinian people and the prevention of their displacement and the compromise of their just cause. The meeting also touched on the latest developments in Syria and Libya, in addition to the situation in Sudan and the ongoing efforts to restore security and stability there. The meeting also covered the political and security situations in the Horn of Africa and the security of the Red Sea. President El-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt's steadfast commitment to supporting the Arab League, based on its deep belief in the League's pivotal role in strengthening joint Arab action and unifying Arab ranks in the face of the region's complex and unprecedented challenges. For his part, the Secretary-General of the Arab League valued Egypt's wise positions, which contribute to restoring security and stability in the Middle East, especially through its support for a just and final solution to the Palestinian issue, as the only path to achieving lasting and comprehensive peace in the region. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
Gulf Today
2 hours ago
- Gulf Today
There is widespead concern that Syria might break up
The ceasefire brokered by the US, Turkey, and Jordan appears to have ended a week of violence in Syria's southern province of Sweida where Druze militiamen battled Sunni Bedouin tribesmen bolstered by Sunni factional militiamen from elsewhere. Clashes erupted on the 13th following the Bedouin kidnapping of a Druze merchant travelling to Damascus. The number of people killed in Sweida is 940, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, and scores were injured. When the Syrian army began to intervene mid-week, Israel bombed the defence ministry in Damascus, fired missiles near the presidential palace and struck Syrian troops entering Sweida. Israel's involvement was not welcomed by Arab, Turkish and US mediators. Even Donald Trump expressed rare criticism of Israel. Syrian Druze constitute the largest Druze community in the world and the third largest minority in that country. The monotheistic faith evolved from Shiism in the 11th century and has long been a separate religion. As Druze have been persecuted for centuries, they have, as a matter of survival, adopted the practice of taqiya, dissimulation, by appearing to merge with the local population while remaining Druze. Druze number about 700,000 and constitute about 3 per cent of Syria's population. While they are concentrated in the Druze majority province of Sweida, Druze have also settled around Damascus and elsewhere in the country. About 300,000 Druze live in Lebanon and a small number in Jordan. The Druze have played important roles in the independence struggles of both Syria and Lebanon and have assumed active political careers in these states since then. Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt has followed the example of his father and acted as a kingmaker in Lebanon. Respected as a voice for Druze in the region, he condemned Israel's intervention in Sweida and convened a meeting of Lebanese Druze leaders with the aim of countering possible spillover of Syrian Druze-Sunni violence. Another prominent Arab Druze, Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, joined his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan to demand an urgent end to Israel's involvement. While Syrian Druze and Bedouin have sparred for decades, the latest bout of violence did not begin as a sectarian confrontation but over farmland, a traditional issue. After Bashar al-Assad assumed power in 2000, the government initiated economic and agricultural reforms. Farm subsidies were gradually withdrawn and restrictions on water usage and land access were imposed. While Druze villagers protested Bedouin farmers did not, generating hostility against their community. However, Druze and Bedouin farmers came together to protest over neglect by the government due to the lack of services and security. Following Assad 's ouster in December last year, Druze have been divided over their approach to the Sunni fundamentalist Hay 'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) government. Some Druze factions have tried to negotiate a new relationship with Damascus, others resist merging their militias with the country's armed forces, and many reject the presence of Syrian security personnel and soldiers in Sweida. Meanwhile, Druze and Bedouin antagonism to the government increased. Bedouin were angered by the appointment of Druze Amjad Bahr as agriculture minister, while Druze did not see this as providing them with sufficient influence in Damascus. In the absence of firm state control since the takeover by HTS under interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, there have been frequent clashes between Bedouin and Druze, who insist that Sweida must enjoy autonomy, and security must be provided by Druze militia factions — both demands rejected by Bedouin. Syria's southernmost, Sweida is a strategic province with a population of 540,400, 91 per cent Druze, according to the UN. The Druze demand for autonomy amounts to a major challenge to the government at a time the northeast, 25 per cent of Syrian territory, is ruled by Syrian Kurds who also seek self-rule within Syria. There is concern that Syria — which with Iraq makes up the Eastern Arab heartland — could fracture. This has been the goal of Israel since its creation by war 77 years ago. In a bid to weaken Damascus grip on Syrian territory, Israel Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has warned against deploying the Syrian army in the southern border regions. Last December, Israeli troops invaded and occupied the UN-patrolled buffer zone in the Golan Heights established by a 1974 agreement with Syria. Israel occupied the Syrian Golan Heights in 1967 and annexed the territory, which has a Druze population of 20,000, most of whom retain Syrian citizenship. About 130,000 Druze live in Israel, have Israeli citizenship and many have served in the Israeli army and the Knesset. Israeli Druze protested in 2018 after adopting a law defining Israel as the "nation state" of the Jewish people. Druze, who count for 1.6 per cent and Palestinian Arabs 21 per cent, cried foul as this law transformed them into "second-class citizens." The normally loyal Druze protested in the streets. Although Druze are prominent in literature, politics, business, and the military in Israel their voices fell on deaf ears. Druze have emigrated to the US, UK, Europe, and Latin America although many retain communal connections and an active interest in the affairs of this conflicted region. One of the founders in 1968 of American Near East Refugee Aid, ANERA, was Jim Sams (Abu Samra) whose family comes from the 12th century Lebanese Chouf Mountain Druze village of Baakleen. The most high-profile Druze on the global scene today is British-born international lawyer Amal Alamuddin who is married to US actor George Clooney. The couple have founded the Clooney Foundation for Justice which operated in 40 countries in defence of free speech and women's rights.
