Sweida clashes: A historic rupture in Sunni-Druze relations in Lebanon and Syria
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Ya Libnan
an hour ago
- Ya Libnan
Syrian sanctions: Caesar act to remain in effect to protect minorities, report
Smoke rises while Syrian security forces sit in the back of a truck as Syrian troops entered the predominantly Druze city of Sweida on Tuesday following two days of clashes, between the Druze and bedouin tribes . Instead of quelling the fight the Syrian security forces forces joined the tribes in their attack , shot and killed several Druze at gunpoint , lo0ted their homes and set them on fire . A family of eight including one American from Oklahoma was killed by Syrian security forces July 15, 2025. Karam al-Masri/Reuters In another display of bipartisanship, two centrist Democrats — Reps. Brad Sherman of California and Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey — helped Republicans advance the Lawler plan. Trump-friendly Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., joined all other Democrats in voting 'no.' 'The objective here is very straightforward, which is to actually allow for this government to start to take hold and be successful — and in order to do that, you need to have, obviously, economic cooperation, and you need the sanctions to begin to be eased,' Lawler told Semafor. Still, he added, 'I believe it is foolish to immediately remove all sanctions without a truly stable situation on the ground,' pointing to a possible 'coup or a collapse of this fledgling government.' Lawler said he's 'been in touch with members of the administration' about his legislation. A White House spokesperson declined to comment. 'I get what Mike's trying to do, but in my view, let's not get ahead of the White House,' Donalds told Semafor. 'A lot of things have changed on the ground; let's give the president a wide berth.' Under current law, Trump can waive the remaining US sanctions on Syria, imposed under a law known as the Caesar Act, every 180 days. Lawler's legislation would give the new administration two years to certify the new Syrian government had met its set of conditions before lifting the sanctions for good. Among the lawmakers advocating for full repeal, rather than Lawler's solution: Conservative Rep. Joe Wilson , R-S.C., who urged the committee to 'reconsider' the measure , and the Financial Services Committee's top Democrat, Rep. Maxine Waters of California. Wilson said he supported the failed amendment Waters offered to Lawler's bill on Tuesday. AD 'Well, hey, she's correct,' Wilson said of Waters. 'I'm very grateful that indeed, the president has indicated that he wants to give Syria a chance — and the way to do that is to fully repeal the sanctions, so that businesses know that they can invest.' Some Democrats were torn ahead of the vote. Rep. Greg Meeks of New York, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Semafor that 'it's a touchy situation.' 'You remove all the sanctions at one time — you know, what does that mean?' Meeks said on his way into the committee room. 'At the same time, you want to make sure that there is progress going down the road.' 'Maybe by the time I get outside, I can tell you exactly what I believe,' Meeks added. He wound up voting against the bill. KNOW MORE The president cannot permanently lift sanctions imposed by the Caesar Act unless Congress repeals that law (or allows it to lapse in 2029). While the Trump administration issued a new six-month waiver of the sanctions in May, lawmakers on both sides of the debate say the short-term relief makes it difficult to facilitate long-term economic growth in Syria because investors lack certainty needed to make long-term decisions. 'What Lawler is attempting to do [is say] 'We want sanctions relief. We want money to flow back into the country,'' said Financial Services Chair French Hill, R-Ark. 'But how do we do that in the right way? Lawler's not adding burden, in my judgment, in his proposal.' 'The president has these freedoms, but in this bill, he's granted statutory relief that he doesn't have,' Hill added. 'The bill is a balanced bill.' Lawler acknowledged that 'the administration's position is going to be vital' when it comes to building sufficient support in the full House and Senate. Sherman raised concerns over lifting sanctions after sectarian violence in Syria led to the death of a US citizen last week. He voted yes after Lawler agreed to adopt his amendment that would add a new condition for lifting sanctions: 'reasonable steps … to protect religious and ethnic minorities.' As the Trump administration seeks to bring Syria into the Abraham Accords, Lawler expressed optimism that his proposal could be a helpful tool. The president in May promised Syria's new president sanctions relief if Damascus agreed to pursue normalized relations with Israel. 'This, in implementation, can be used as a vehicle by which to help actually normalize economic ties with Israelis,' Lawler said. Lawler said the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which also has jurisdiction over Syria sanctions, will also need to mark up the legislation. Meeks said that committee was his preferred venue for further discussion about the proposal. ROOM FOR DISAGREEMENT Those advocating to repeal the Caesar Act make two main arguments. Republicans say it would provide Trump with the most flexibility possible; Democrats say it would be the best bet for protecting Syrians. 'Sanctions are not effective in what the goal here is,' Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., said. 'On the ground, it is the Syrian people that are hurting because of these sanctions.' The Syrian Emergency Task Force said in a press release Tuesday that the bill 'goes against President Trump's agenda of 'giving Syria a chance' and allowing long-term investment.' ELEANOR'S VIEW A lot of the uncertainty surrounding Lawler's bill can be attributed to its relatively short runway. He only introduced the proposal last week, which hasn't left much time for members to decide how they want to proceed. Either way, the Trump administration's approach is critical. If it endorses the legislation, Lawler's proposal is on a glide path to enactment. If the administration tries to pump the brakes, it seems inevitable that the bill's momentum slows. Semator
LBCI
7 hours ago
- LBCI
Thousands displaced in Sweida as fighting fuels concern over lasting division
Report by Yazbeck Wehbe, English adaptation by Laetithia Harb Around 3,000 families, mostly from Bedouin communities, have fled the southern Syrian province of Sweida over the past two days, heading toward Daraa and the Damascus countryside. The mass departure follows intense clashes, leaving uncertainty over whether the displacement will be temporary or prolonged until full stability is restored. Many of the displaced fear the move could amount to forced displacement, potentially setting the stage for demographic changes on the ground. Sweida, home to approximately 570,000 people, is predominantly Druze, accounting for around 85% of the population, with Sunni Bedouins and a small Christian minority making up the rest of the population. The recent eight-day conflict—between Druze groups and Bedouin tribes backed by the Syrian government and extremist factions—has been described as the most violent the region has seen in decades. However, beyond the immediate violence, concerns are growing that the aftermath could entrench sectarian and religious divisions. Despite uniting in response to what many perceived as a government threat to their existence, Druze leadership remains divided. Syria's Druze leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, who opposes Damascus and maintains ties with Israeli Druze leader Sheikh Muwaffaq Tarif, stands apart from Sheikhs Hammoud al-Hinnawi and Yousef Jarbou, who reject any separatist aspirations. Meanwhile, Sheikh Laith al-Balous, who leads the "Sheikh al-Karama Forces," is seen as closer to the government. These internal divisions now stand at a critical crossroads. Whether Druze leaders can overcome their differences remains to be seen—echoing the warning that 'a nation divided against itself cannot stand.' Druze elders warn that if displaced Arab tribes do not return soon, there could be retaliatory displacement of Druze communities living in Damascus suburbs like Jaramana and Sahnaya, potentially toward Sweida. Such a shift would risk redrawing the area's demographic map—one that some fear could align with external agendas, including those of Israel. Amid this uncertainty, Druze leadership is under pressure to de-escalate tensions and address both immediate and long-standing grievances. The situation also poses a significant test for President Ahmed al-Sharaa's government, which must work to restore trust with Jabal al-Arab, resolve the underlying crisis, and promote a sustainable framework for coexistence—one that protects Syria's social fabric and limits foreign interference. Suppose calm is not restored quickly and root causes are not addressed. In that case, the risk of the conflict spreading into neighboring Lebanon remains—despite repeated assurances from Lebanese political and religious leaders that the situation is contained.
L'Orient-Le Jour
12 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Syrian American Druze killed in Sweida
BEIRUT — A U.S. citizen was killed last week during sectarian clashes between pro-government Sunni Bedouin tribes and Druze factions in Syria's Sweida province, the State Department confirmed Monday. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, more than 1,260 people have been killed in these clashes, which began July 13 between Druze militiamen and Sunni Bedouin fighters in Sweida, backed by government forces deployed in the city by order of Damascus' authorities. The latest toll provided by the NGO Monday evening reports 505 Druze fighters and 298 Druze civilians killed, including 194 "summarily executed by members of the Defense and Interior Ministries." The toll also includes 408 members of government security forces and 35 Sunni Bedouins, including three civilians "summarily executed by Druze fighters." In addition, 15 government soldiers were killed in Israeli airstrikes, according to the Observatory. 'He was supposed to return to the USA at the end of the month' Among the civilian victims is the Syrian American, Houssam Saraya, a 35-year-old Druze. Contacted by the Washington-based media outlet al-Monitor, a State Department official confirmed Monday the death of an American citizen in Sweida, without identifying him. "We are deeply saddened by the death of Houssam Saraya, tragically executed along with other members of his family in Syria," Oklahoma Republican Senator James Lankford, where the victim had resided in the U.S., confirmed on X. "We pray for his family, friends and the entire Druze community mourning this senseless loss," he added. Photos of Houssam Saraya's American passport also circulated widely on social media, as did videos purportedly showing his execution in a public square in Sweida. In footage posted online on Wednesday, July 16 — the day after Syrian government forces entered the city — a man in his thirties is seen being forced to walk in a single line down a street with seven other people. They are under threat from armed men, some dressed in military fatigues. Moments later, the group is coldly executed by bursts of automatic gunfire in Techrine Square, downtown. The gunmen shout "Allahu akbar" as the executions take place. The military uniforms worn by some of the assailants appear to indicate they are members of government forces. A source close to the family confirmed the authenticity of these videos to L'Orient Today. The person said that several members of the Saraya family, including Houssam, were indeed killed in Techrine Square on July 16. Among the eight people lined up at the time of the execution, one survived, she said. Contacted by phone Tuesday by L'Orient Today, a relative of the victim, who requested anonymity, said Houssam Saraya received American citizenship five years ago after earning his master's degree at Oklahoma Christian University in 2016. He subsequently founded an online teaching platform aimed at Syrian students. This relative confirmed that other Saraya family members were also executed, including Houssam's brother, Karim, and father, Ghassan, the only one holding American nationality. Other victims were named Walid, Yehya, Ali and Ismail, all cousins of the Saraya family. "They (the assailants) stormed the house Wednesday morning and forcibly took all the men there. We found their bodies the next day and then buried them," the relative said. "Houssam returned to Sweida about a year ago to care for his sick father. He was supposed to return to the United States at the end of the month," she said. On Friday, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk stated there are "credible reports" that Syrian government forces, as well as Druze and local Bedouin fighters, committed "arbitrary executions, abductions and looting" during this latest wave of large-scale violence that has bereaved Syria since the fall of the Assad regime last December. 'Bring the perpetrators to justice' This third round of sectarian bloodshed, after the attack in March against the Alawite community on the Syrian coast, and then (again) the Druze community in late April on the outskirts of Damascus, has led to the forced displacement of more than 128,500 people since it began July 13. A fragile truce, supported by the United States, took effect July 17 after Damascus withdrew its forces from the southern province, where a precarious calm has since returned this weekend after security was officially handed over to local Druze factions by the Syrian government led by Ahmad al-Sharaa. On Saturday, the U.S. envoy for Lebanon and Syria, Tom Barrack, also announced a cease-fire between Syria and Israel, which had carried out airstrikes targeting Syrian security forces in Sweida as well as several government buildings in Damascus. For his part, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on Damascus to "mobilize its forces to prevent violent jihadists from committing massacres" and to "bring those found guilty of atrocities to justice, including within [its] own ranks."
