Syria's armed Bedouins say they have withdrawn from Druze-majority city
The clashes between militias of the Druze religious minority and the Sunni Muslim clans killed hundreds and threatened to unravel Syria's already fragile post-war transition.
Israel also launched dozens of airstrikes in the Druze-majority Sweida province, targeting government forces who had effectively sided with the Bedouins.
Syrian government security forces blocked Bedouin fighters, pictured in the background, from entering Sweida province (Omar Sanadiki/AP)
The clashes also led to a series of targeted sectarian attacks against the Druze community, followed by revenge attacks against the Bedouins.
A series of tit-for-tat kidnappings sparked the clashes in various towns and villages in the province, which later spread to Sweida city, the provincial capital.
Government forces were redeployed to halt renewed fighting that erupted on Thursday, before withdrawing again.
Interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa, who has been perceived as more sympathetic to the Bedouins, had tried to appeal to the Druze community while remaining critical of the militias.
Dozens of Bedouin fighters, right, remained on the outskirts of the city and were cordoned off by Syrian government security forces (Ghaith Alsayed/AP)
He later urged the Bedouins to leave the city, saying that they 'cannot replace 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 said in an address broadcast on Saturday.
Dozens of armed Bedouin fighters alongside other clans from around the country who came to support them remained on the outskirts of the city and were cordoned off by government security forces and military police.
They blame the clashes on the Druze factions loyal to spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri and accuse them of harming Bedouin families.
'We will not leave until he turns himself in alongside those with him who tried to stir sedition. And only then will we go home,' Khaled al-Mohammad, who came to the southern province alongside other tribesman from the eastern Deir al-Zour province, told The Associated Press.
We reaffirm that we have no dispute with anyone on any religious or ethnic basis. Shame and disgrace be upon all those who seek to sow discord and hatred in the minds of young people
The Bedouins' withdrawal brought a cautious calm to the area, with humanitarian convoys on their way.
The Syrian Red Crescent said on Sunday that it had sent 32 trucks loaded with food, medicine, water, fuel and other aid, after the fighting left the province with power cuts and shortages.
Syria's state news agency SANA reported that the convoy entered Sweida on Sunday, but accused Mr al-Hijri and his armed Druze supporters of turning back a government delegation that accompanied another convoy.
The foreign ministry in a statement said the convoy accompanying the delegation had two ambulances loaded with aid provided by local and international organisations.
Mr al-Hijri did not directly respond to the accusations but said in a statement that he welcomed any assistance for Sweida and slammed what he claims were distorted campaigns against him.
'We reaffirm that we have no dispute with anyone on any religious or ethnic basis,' the statement read.
A convoy of vehicles loaded with food and other aid en route to Sweida (Omar Sanadiki/AP)
'Shame and disgrace be upon all those who seek to sow discord and hatred in the minds of young people.'
The UN International Organisation for Migration said 128,571 people were displaced during the clashes, including 43,000 on Saturday alone.
Washington's special envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, said the clashes and atrocities 'overshadowed' an initial cautious optimism about the country's post-war transition and the international community's lifting of sanctions.
'All factions must immediately lay down their arms, cease hostilities and abandon cycles of tribal vengeance,' Mr Barrack said on X.
'Syria stands at a critical juncture — peace and dialogue must prevail — and prevail now.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
7 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Syria has asked Turkey for defence support amid sectarian clashes, officials say
Syria's interim government has requested Turkey's support to strengthen its defence capabilities, Turkish officials said. It follows sectarian violence over the past two weeks that have increased tensions in Syria and drawn intervention by Israel. The defence ministry officials said that Syria has also sought assistance to combat 'terrorist organisations', including the so-called Islamic State group. Turkey – which has long expressed readiness to assist Syria – was working towards providing training, advisory services and technical support to help strengthen Syria's defence capacity, the officials added. A convoy of ambulances and buses arrives at a checkpoint in a village in southern Syria on its way to Sweida (Omar Sanadiki/AP) Tensions escalated in southern Syria last week, with violent clashes erupting between Bedouin Arab tribes and Druze militias in the province of Sweida. The conflict triggered Israeli air strikes on convoys of government forces in Sweida and on the Ministry of Defence headquarters in central Damascus, which Israel justified as efforts to protect Druze communities. Turkey, which strongly supports Syria's interim government led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa, has been seeking a defence agreement with Syria that could reportedly include establishing Turkish military bases on Syrian territory. Ankara also backs an agreement reached between the interim Syrian administration and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to integrate into Syria's national army. Implementation of the deal has stalled, with a major sticking point being whether the SDF would remain as a cohesive unit in the new army or be dissolved completely. Bedouin fighters gather in a village in southern Syria (Omar Sanadiki/AP) On Tuesday, Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan warned Kurdish and other groups in Syria against exploiting the tensions to pursue autonomy, stating that any attempt to divide Syria would be viewed as a direct threat to Turkey's national security and could prompt intervention. Turkey considers the SDF a terrorist organisation because of its association with the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, which has waged a long-running insurgency in Turkey. The defence ministry officials said Turkey expects the SDF to follow through on its commitments under the agreement, adding that Turkey would be 'following' the situation. The situation in Syria has increased tensions between Turkey and Israel. In April, Israel struck five cities in Syria, including more than a dozen strikes near a strategic air base in the city of Hama, where Turkey reportedly has interests in having a military presence. Israel accused Turkey of trying to build a 'protectorate' in Syria.
Irish Examiner
9 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Donald Trump announces trade deal with Japan
US President Donald Trump has announced a trade framework with Japan, placing a 15% tax on goods imported from that nation. 'This Deal will create Hundreds of Thousands of Jobs – There has never been anything like it,' Mr Trump posted on Truth Social, adding that the United States 'will continue to always have a great relationship with the Country of Japan'. The president said Japan would invest 'at my direction' 550 billion dollars into the US and would 'open' its economy to American cars and rice. The 15% tax on imported Japanese goods is a meaningful drop from the 25% rate that Mr Trump, in a recent letter to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, said would be levied starting on August 1. Early Wednesday, Mr Ishiba acknowledged the new trade agreement, saying it would benefit both sides and help them work together. Japanese PM Shigeru Ishiba acknowledged the new trade agreement (Kyodo News via AP) With the announcement, Mr Trump is seeking to tout his ability as a dealmaker — even as his tariffs, when initially announced in early April led to a market panic and fears of slower growth that for the moment appear to have subsided. Key details remained unclear from his post, such as whether Japanese-built cars would face a higher 25% tariff that Mr Trump imposed on the sector. But the framework fits a growing pattern for Mr Trump, who is eager to portray the tariffs as a win for the US. His administration says the revenues will help reduce the budget deficit and more factories will relocate to America to avoid the import taxes and cause trade imbalances to disappear. The wave of tariffs continues to be a source of uncertainty about whether it could lead to higher prices for consumers and businesses if companies simply pass along the costs. The problem was seen sharply on Tuesday after General Motors reported a 35% drop in its net income during the second quarter as it warned that tariffs would hit its business in the months ahead, causing its stock to tumble. A staff member distributes an extra edition of a newspaper reporting that President Donald Trump announced a trade framework with Japan (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) As the August 1 deadline for the tariff rates in his letters to world leaders is approaching, Mr Trump also announced a trade framework with the Philippines that would impose a tariff of 19% on its goods, while American-made products would face no import taxes. The president also reaffirmed his 19% tariffs on Indonesia. The US ran a 69.4 billion dollar trade imbalance on goods with Japan last year, according to the Census Bureau. America had a trade imbalance of 17.9 billion dollars with Indonesia and an imbalance of 4.9 billion dollars with the Philippines. Both nations are less affluent than the US and an imbalance means America imports more from those countries than it exports to them. The president is set to impose the broad tariffs listed in his recent letters to other world leaders on August 1, raising questions of whether there will be any breakthrough in talks with the European Union. At a Tuesday dinner, Mr Trump said the EU would be in Washington on Wednesday for trade talks. 'We have Europe coming in tomorrow, the next day,' Mr Trump told guests. The president earlier this month sent a letter threatening the 27 member states in the EU with 30% taxes on their goods to be imposed starting on August 1.
Irish Examiner
10 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Deadly Israeli strikes continue in Gaza
Israeli strikes in Gaza have killed at least 21 people late on Tuesday and into early Wednesday, health authorities said. More than half of those killed were women and children. Desperation is mounting in the Palestinian territory of more than two million, which experts say is at risk of famine because of Israel's blockade and nearly two-year offensive. People in #Gaza, including UNRWA staff, are fainting due to starvation and severe hunger. People including children are dying from severe malnutrition. People are being starved. UNRWA alone has thousands of trucks in neighbouring countries waiting to enter Gaza – banned by… — UNRWA (@UNRWA) July 23, 2025 A breakdown of law and order has led to widespread looting and contributed to chaos and violence around aid deliveries. More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since May while trying to get food in the Gaza Strip, mostly near aid sites run by an American contractor, the UN human rights office said on Tuesday. More than 100 human rights groups and charities signed a letter published on Wednesday demanding more aid for Gaza and warning of grim conditions causing starvation. More than 59,000 Palestinians have been killed during the Israel-Hamas war, according to Gaza's health ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. Israeli activists take part in a protest against the war in the Gaza Strip (AP) Its count does not distinguish between militants and civilians, but the ministry says that more than half of the dead are women and children. The UN and other international organizations see it as the most reliable source of data on casualties. The Israeli military said in a statement on Wednesday that forces were operating in Gaza City, as well as in northern Gaza. It said that in Jabaliya, an area hard-hit in multiple rounds of fighting, an air strike killed 'a number of' Hamas militants. "Silencing voices. As if banning international media is not enough. Humanitarian workers are also banned when they report on atrocities committed in #Gaza and elsewhere in the occupied Palestinian territory. The denial of a visa to our colleague from @OCHAopt is the latest in… — UNRWA (@UNRWA) July 22, 2025 Troops struck roughly 120 targets throughout Gaza over the past day, including militant cells, tunnels and booby-trapped structures, among others, the military said. One Israeli strike hit a house on Tuesday in the north-western side of Gaza City, killing at least 12 people, according to the Shifa Hospital, which received the casualties. The dead included six children and two women, according to the health ministry's casualty list. Another strike hit an apartment in the Tal al-Hawa area in northern Gaza, killing at least six people. Palestinians are relying on aid in an increasingly dire humanitarian situation (AP) Among the dead were three children and two women, including one who was pregnant. Eight others were wounded, the ministry said. A third strike hit a tent in the Naser area in Gaza City late on Tuesday and killed three children, Shifa Hospital said. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the strikes. It blames Hamas for civilian casualties because the militants operate from populated areas.
