Thousands displaced in Sweida as fighting fuels concern over lasting division

LBCI

5 days ago

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.