New Clashes Rock Syria's Druze Heartland As Tribal Fighters Reinforce Bedouin
The United Nations called for an end to the "bloodshed" and demanded an "independent" investigation of the violence, which has claimed nearly 600 lives since Sunday, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The renewed fighting raised questions over the authority of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose interim government also has difficult relations with the Kurdish minority in the northeast and the Alawite minority on the Mediterranean coast.
It was Sharaa who ordered government forces to pull out, saying that mediation by the United States and others had helped avert a "large-scale escalation" with Israel.
Tribal reinforcements from across Syria gathered in villages around Sweida on Friday to reinforce local Bedouin, whose longstanding enmity towards the Druze erupted into violence last weekend.
Anas al-Enad, a tribal chief from the central city of Hama, said he and his men had made the journey to the village of Walgha, northwest of Sweida, because "the Bedouin called for our help and we came to support them".
An AFP correspondent saw burning homes and shops in the village, now under the control of the Bedouin and their allies.
The Britain-based Observatory said "the deployment of tribal fighters to Sweida province was facilitated by government forces, because government forces are unable to deploy to Sweida under the terms of the security agreement with Israel".
Israel, which bombed the Syrian army in Sweida and Damascus earlier this week to put pressure on the government to withdraw, said Friday that it was sending aid to the Druze community in Sweida.
"In light of the recent attacks targeting the Druze community in Sweida and the severe humanitarian situation in the area, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has ordered the urgent transfer of humanitarian aid to the Druze population in the region," the foreign ministry said.
The two million shekel (nearly $600,000) package includes food parcels and medical supplies, the ministry said.
A ceasefire was supposed to take effect on Thursday, but Sharaa's office accused Druze fighters of violating it.
Sweida has been heavily damaged in the fighting and its mainly Druze inhabitants have been deprived of mains water and electricity, while communication lines have been cut.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that nearly 2,000 families had been forced from their homes in Sweida province.
Rayan Maarouf, editor-in-chief of local news outlet Suwayda 24, said the humanitarian situation was "catastrophic".
"We cannot find milk for children," he told AFP.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk called for an end to the bloodshed, saying "the protection of all people must be the utmost priority".
He demanded "independent, prompt and transparent investigations into all violations" adding that "those responsible must be held to account".
The latest violence erupted on Sunday after the kidnapping of a Druze vegetable merchant by local Bedouin triggered tit-for-tat abductions, the Britain-based Observatory said.
The Islamist-led government sent in the army, promising to put a halt to the fighting, but witnesses and the Observatory said the troops sided with the Bedouin and committed many abuses, against Druze civilians as well as fighters.
The interim government has had strained relations with Syria's religious and ethnic minorities since it toppled longtime leader Bashar al-Assad in December.
This week's fighting marks the most serious outbreak of violence since government forces battled Druze fighters in Sweida province and around Damascus in April and May, leaving more than 100 people dead. An armed Bedouin walks past a burnt out vehicle in the Syrian village of Al-Mazraa, outside Sweida as clashes flare with Druze fighters. AFP Bedouin fighters watch on impassively as a building goes up in smoke in the village of Al-Mazraa outside Sweida. AFP Syrian Kurdish women demonstrate in the northeastern city of Qamishli in support of the Druze in Sweida. AFP
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Int'l Business Times
an hour ago
- Int'l Business Times
Calm Returns To South Syria After Violence That Killed 1,000: Monitor
Calm returned to southern Syria's Sweida province on Sunday, a monitor and AFP correspondents reported, after a week of sectarian violence between Druze fighters and rival groups that killed more than 1,000 people. 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 (2100 GMT Saturday), "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". 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. 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. 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. The United Nations migration agency said more than 128,000 people in Sweida province have been displaced by the violence. 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".
DW
an hour ago
- DW
Middle East: Truce between warring factions in Sweida holds – DW – 07/20/2025
An agreement between Druze and Bedouin groups to stop fighting in Syria's southern province of Sweida appeared to be holding as of Sunday morning. Bedouin fighters also said they had left Sweida. DW has the resumed coverage with news that the ceasefire agreement between Druze groups and Bedouin tribes appeared to be holding (see below). The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitor, said that "Sweida has been experiencing a cautious calm" since midnight. The report said that Syrian government security forces had blocked roads leading to the province in order to prevent tribal fighters from entering Sweida. After more than a week of clashes between Bedouin and Druze groups in Sweida, the Bedouin clans announced that they were withdrawing from the city. Druze-majority Sweida province has also been hit by Israeli strikes in recent days, with Israel attacking government forces who had tacitly supported the Bedouins. Although Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa has been more closely allied with the Bedouins, he urged them to lay down their arms, saying that paramilitaries "cannot replaced the role of the state in handling the country's affairs and restoring security." "We thank the Bedouins for their heroic stances but demand they fully commit to the ceasefire and comply with the state's orders," he added. The truce between the two groups was partly brokered by the United States, which dropped several of its sanctions against Syria in June following the ouster of strongman Bashar Assad. Thank you for reading until now. We'll resume the blog shortly. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called on the interim Syrian government to "prevent ISIS and any other violent jihadists from … carrying out massacres" in the conflict-stricken south of the country. "The rape and slaughter of innocent people which has and is still occurring must end," he wrote on his personal account on X. "If authorities in Damascus want to preserve any chance of achieving a unified, inclusive and peaceful Syria free of ISIS and of Iranian control, they must help end this calamity by using their security forces." Rubio also demanded that the new Islamist-led regime in Damascus hold to account "anyone guilty of atrocities including those in their own ranks" and called for fighting between Druze and Bedouin groups in Sweida to stop. Syrian government forces returned to the region on Saturday after withdrawing earlier in the week. After the new German government resumed deportations to Afghanistan this week, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has floated a similar approach for Syria – despite the current unrest in the war-torn country. "It's possible that, in future, Syrians who have committed criminal offenses [could be] deported," he told the newspaper. "I think that's possible in principle – provided the country develops in [the right] direction." 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A staunch Israel supporter, Huckabee struck a rare critical tone, going as far as calling the desecration of a place of worship, in that case the Church of St. George in Taybeh, an "act of terror." Huckabee, who is an evangelical Christian, stressed that "desecrating a church, mosque or synagogue is a crime against humanity and God." He said that Taybeh was home to many American citizens. "I work for ALL American citizens who live in Israel-Jewish, Muslim or Christian," Huckabee said on X. "When they are terrorized or victims of crime I will demand those responsible be held accountable [with] real consequences." Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa has urged Sunni Muslim Bedouin tribes to "fully commit" to a ceasefire aimed at ending deadly clashes with Druze-aligned militias that have killed hundreds and threatened the country's fragile post-war transition. His call came Saturday as government forces, initially sent to restore order but seen siding with Bedouin fighters, were redeployed to contain renewed fighting that flared late Thursday. The violence also triggered Israeli airstrikes on Syrian government positions before a truce was reached. In his second televised address since the unrest began, al-Sharaa accused "armed groups from Sweida" of reigniting the conflict by "launching retaliatory attacks against the Bedouins and their families." He also warned that Israeli intervention had "pushed the country into a dangerous phase that threatened its stability." Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz accused Sharaa of siding with the perpetrators. "In al-Sharaa's Syria, it is very dangerous to be a member of a minority — Kurd, Druze, Alawite, or Christian," Katz posted on X. "This has been proven time and again over the past six months." The Vatican has voiced skepticism over Israeli claims that a deadly strike on a Catholic church in Gaza was accidental. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of state and second only to the pope, made the remarks in a televised interview on Italy's Rai network. Parolin demanded full clarification from Israel following Thursday's shelling of the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza City, which killed three people and injured nine others — including the local Italian priest. The church had been sheltering around 600 displaced people, according to Palestinian sources. Parolin said it was reasonable to doubt that the attack was merely a military mistake. His remarks came after a phone call between Pope Leo XIV and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had earlier expressed "deep regret." Parolin stressed that the Vatican is not satisfied with Israel's explanation so far. 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The DPA news agency reported that at least 37 people were killed. The deaths were reported to have been near two aid hubs. At one site in the Khan Younis area, about 100 were wounded by gunfire and shelling and brought to Nasser Hospital from the nearby al-Tina district. Hospital staff warned that the death toll could rise due to the severity of many injuries. The Israeli military said it was investigating the incident in response to media inquiries. The GHF began operations in late May after a prolonged Israeli blockade of aid. Supported by both Israel and the US, the foundation has drawn criticism from the United Nations for running too few centers and putting civilians at risk. According to the UN, hundreds of people have died near aid convoys and distribution hubs in Gaza since the end of May. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Unrest in Syria continued on Saturday following increased tensions based around the region of Sweida in the south where Druze and Bedouin factions have been fighting. The deployment of Syrian forces during the week resulted in Israel launching strikes on Syria, including in the capital Damascus. US, Arab and Turkish support brought about a ceasefire between Syria and Damascus. At the same time, the situation in Gaza remains dire with many desparate for aid, but with Israel only allowing aid centers to be operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an aid group backed by Israel and the United States. There have been numerous reports of Palestinians being killed as they gather to receive aid since the GHF started operating in the enclave. Follow along as DW brings you the latest reports, explainers and analysis on developments across the Middle East.
DW
3 hours ago
- DW
Middle East: Tribal forces withdraw from Sweida – DW – 07/20/2025
Syrian leaders called for a ceasefire and deployed security forces to quell unrest between Druze and Bedouin factions. Later, Bedouin militias said they had left Sweida after a week of fighting. Follow DW for the more than a week of clashes between Bedouin and Druze groups in Sweida, the Bedouin clans announced that they were withdrawing from the city. Druze-majority Sweida province has also been hit by Israeli strikes in recent days, with Israel attacking government forces who had tacitly supported the Bedouins. Although Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa has been more closely allied with the Bedouins, he urged them to lay down their arms, saying that paramilitaries "cannot replaced the role of the state in handling the country's affairs and restoring security." "We thank the Bedouins for their heroic stances but demand they fully commit to the ceasefire and comply with the state's orders," he added. The truce between the two groups was partly brokered by the United States, which dropped several of its sanctions against Syria in June following the ouster of strongman Bashar Assad. Thank you for reading until now. We'll resume the blog shortly. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called on the interim Syrian government to "prevent ISIS and any other violent jihadists from … carrying out massacres" in the conflict-stricken south of the country. "The rape and slaughter of innocent people which has and is still occurring must end," he wrote on his personal account on X. "If authorities in Damascus want to preserve any chance of achieving a unified, inclusive and peaceful Syria free of ISIS and of Iranian control, they must help end this calamity by using their security forces." Rubio also demanded that the new Islamist-led regime in Damascus hold to account "anyone guilty of atrocities including those in their own ranks" and called for fighting between Druze and Bedouin groups in Sweida to stop. Syrian government forces returned to the region on Saturday after withdrawing earlier in the week. After the new German government resumed deportations to Afghanistan this week, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has floated a similar approach for Syria – despite the current unrest in the war-torn country. "It's possible that, in future, Syrians who have committed criminal offenses [could be] deported," he told the newspaper. "I think that's possible in principle – provided the country develops in [the right] direction." Southern Syria has been rocked by violence again this week, with the new Islamist-led regime in Damascus struggling to prevent clashes between Druze and Bedouin factions in Sweida and powerless to stop Israeli intervention. Hundreds of people have reportedly been killed. "We are watching Syria with concern," said Wadephul, calling on the interim government under Ahmed al-Sharaa to ensure that all sections of the population and all religious groups can co-exist. "No-one should have to fear for life and limb," he said. "But as it stands, we are of the opinion that we have to give this interim government a chance." US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Saturday visited Taybeh, the Palestinian Christian village in the occupied West Bank whose residents accuse Israeli settlers of torching a church there on July 9. A staunch Israel supporter, Huckabee struck a rare critical tone, going as far as calling the desecration of a place of worship, in that case the Church of St. George in Taybeh, an "act of terror." Huckabee, who is an evangelical Christian, stressed that "desecrating a church, mosque or synagogue is a crime against humanity and God." He said that Taybeh was home to many American citizens. "I work for ALL American citizens who live in Israel-Jewish, Muslim or Christian," Huckabee said on X. "When they are terrorized or victims of crime I will demand those responsible be held accountable [with] real consequences." Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa has urged Sunni Muslim Bedouin tribes to "fully commit" to a ceasefire aimed at ending deadly clashes with Druze-aligned militias that have killed hundreds and threatened the country's fragile post-war transition. His call came Saturday as government forces, initially sent to restore order but seen siding with Bedouin fighters, were redeployed to contain renewed fighting that flared late Thursday. The violence also triggered Israeli airstrikes on Syrian government positions before a truce was reached. In his second televised address since the unrest began, al-Sharaa accused "armed groups from Sweida" of reigniting the conflict by "launching retaliatory attacks against the Bedouins and their families." He also warned that Israeli intervention had "pushed the country into a dangerous phase that threatened its stability." Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz accused Sharaa of siding with the perpetrators. "In al-Sharaa's Syria, it is very dangerous to be a member of a minority — Kurd, Druze, Alawite, or Christian," Katz posted on X. "This has been proven time and again over the past six months." The Vatican has voiced skepticism over Israeli claims that a deadly strike on a Catholic church in Gaza was accidental. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of state and second only to the pope, made the remarks in a televised interview on Italy's Rai network. Parolin demanded full clarification from Israel following Thursday's shelling of the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza City, which killed three people and injured nine others — including the local Italian priest. The church had been sheltering around 600 displaced people, according to Palestinian sources. Parolin said it was reasonable to doubt that the attack was merely a military mistake. His remarks came after a phone call between Pope Leo XIV and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had earlier expressed "deep regret." Parolin stressed that the Vatican is not satisfied with Israel's explanation so far. "We should give them the time necessary to tell us what actually happened: Whether it was really a mistake, which can be rightfully doubted, or whether it was the intention to target a Christian church, knowing how much Christians are an element of moderation in the Middle East," he said. Roughly 1,000 Christians live in the Gaza Strip, which is home to more than 2 million people. The Church of the Holy Family is Gaza's only Catholic church. Syria's Islamist-led government has deployed security forces to the southern city of Sweida and called for an end to days of deadly factional fighting. The presidency announced a nationwide ceasefire on Saturday, urging all sides to halt hostilities. The move comes after nearly a week of violence in Sweida province, where clashes between Druze factions and Bedouin fighters have left hundreds dead, according to local sources. The Interior Ministry confirmed that internal security forces had begun operations in the area. In a separate address, interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa said mediation by "Arab and American" actors had helped calm tensions. He also condemned Israel for recent airstrikes targeting Syrian government positions in the south and in Damascus. Israel has said its strikes aimed to protect the Druze minority, which has a large presence in Israel and in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Sharaa warned that Syria would not become a "testing ground for partition, secession, or sectarian incitement." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Israeli troops have opened fire on Palestinians gathering near food distribution sites in southern Gaza, killing at least 32 people, according to witnesses and hospital officials. The deadly shootings occurred Saturday near facilities run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a controversial aid group backed by the US and Israel. The DPA news agency reported that at least 37 people were killed. The deaths were reported to have been near two aid hubs. At one site in the Khan Younis area, about 100 were wounded by gunfire and shelling and brought to Nasser Hospital from the nearby al-Tina district. Hospital staff warned that the death toll could rise due to the severity of many injuries. The Israeli military said it was investigating the incident in response to media inquiries. The GHF began operations in late May after a prolonged Israeli blockade of aid. Supported by both Israel and the US, the foundation has drawn criticism from the United Nations for running too few centers and putting civilians at risk. According to the UN, hundreds of people have died near aid convoys and distribution hubs in Gaza since the end of May. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Unrest in Syria continued on Saturday following increased tensions based around the region of Sweida in the south where Druze and Bedouin factions have been fighting. The deployment of Syrian forces during the week resulted in Israel launching strikes on Syria, including in the capital Damascus. US, Arab and Turkish support brought about a ceasefire between Syria and Damascus. At the same time, the situation in Gaza remains dire with many desparate for aid, but with Israel only allowing aid centers to be operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an aid group backed by Israel and the United States. There have been numerous reports of Palestinians being killed as they gather to receive aid since the GHF started operating in the enclave. Follow along as DW brings you the latest reports, explainers and analysis on developments across the Middle East.
