Latest news with #Bedouin tribes
The Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
A Syrian American man is among members of the Druze community killed in sectarian clashes in Syria
A Syrian-American man of the Druze religious minority was killed in southern Syria when he got caught up in sectarian clashes there last week while visiting family members, relatives and officials said Tuesday. The U.S. State Department confirmed the death of U.S citizen Hossam Soraya in the city of Sweida and extended its condolences to his family. His relatives and friends told The Associated Press that Saraya, in his mid-30s from Oklahoma, was killed in an attack last Wednesday. The violence in Sweida provice, where the city of Sweida is the provincial capital, erupted earlier this month between the Druze community, an offshoot of Shiite Islam, and the local Sunni Bedouin tribes, drawing in Syrian government forces, which effectively sided with the Bedouins. Hundreds of people were killed — both civilians and combatants — before a ceasefire calmed the fighting, only for clashes to restart days later. The U.N. International Organization for Migration said more than 130,000 people were displaced during the fighting. The fighting threatened Syria's fragile transition and underscored the difficulties the new government faces as it tries to consolidate control over the country, months after Islamist-led insurgents ousted longtime autocrat Bashar Assad last December. Neighboring Israel also intervened, striking Syrian forces — actions Israel said was in defense of the Druze, who are also a significant minority in Israel. A raid by gunmen in military uniform The clashes started as a series of tit-for-tat kidnappings between armed Bedouin clans and Druze militias. Government forces intervened to stop the hostilities but effectively sided with the Bedouins. On Wednesday, Soraya was abducted with his brother Karim, their father Ghassan and three other relatives from the family home by gunmen who later shot and killed them in a square in Sweida, his friends and relatives said, speaking on condition of anonymity fearing reprisals. The gunmen told them they were government forces and assured the women nothing would happen to their men as they took them away, one of Soraya's friends said. The gunmen returned later and threatened the women and children, before leaving without harming them but taking off with gold and other valuables from the house, the friend said. They said they believe government forces were behind the killings but did not elaborate. The Syrian Defense Ministry says Tuesday it was investigating 'shocking and serious violations committed by an unknown group wearing military uniforms' in Sweida, without giving further details. The ministry did not specifically mention Saraya's killing. Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford said on Monday he was heartbroken over Saraya's killing. 'We are praying for his family, friends, and the entire community as they grieve this senseless loss.' Lankford said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Fellow Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin meanwhile said that he is working with 'partners in the region to learn more.' Trying to reach the family After new of the violence broke out, Saraya's relatives in America could not get a hold of him and other male family members in the Druze-majority city. They were told by remaining relatives in Sweida of the raid and that Saraya and the others were taken away by gunmen. Then, to their horror, they recognized Hossam and the other men from the family in a video posted on social media showing gunmen in military uniform sprayed their relatives with automatic fire as tehy were kneeling on the asphalt in a Sweida roundabout. Another video that surfaced later, shows their relatives being marched off by at least 10 armed men in military uniform, chatting among themselves, smiling and posing for the camera. A life in America Although Hossam had been living in the United States since 2014, he remained engaged in the community back home in Syria. He and his brother co-founded an online school named after their family for Syrians abroad interested in completing their education with their native country's curriculum, with millions scattered around the world after the almost 14-year civil war that erupted in 2011 and ended with Assad's ouster. On the school's social media page, Syrians and Oklahomans paid tribute to Hossam and his family after their deaths were announced. More than half of the roughly 1 million Druze worldwide live in Syria. The others live in Lebanon and Israel, including in the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast War and annexed in 1981. Most Druze in Syria have supported a more diplomatic approach with the new government in Damascus but the clashes in Sweida have left many doubtful of a peaceful coexistence the new leaders in the post-Assad era. ___
France 24
3 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Syria evacuates Bedouin from Druze-majority Sweida as ceasefire holds
An AFP correspondent outside the devastated provincial capital saw a convoy of buses and other vehicles enter Sweida and then exit again carrying civilians, including women and children. They were headed for reception centres in neighbouring Daraa province and to the capital Damascus, in coordination with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. State news agency SANA said 1,500 people from Bedouin tribes were to be evacuated. The ceasefire announced Saturday put an end to the sectarian violence that has left more than 1,100 dead, most of them Druze fighters and civilians, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor, whose toll also includes hundreds of government security personnel. Clashes began on July 13 between Druze and Bedouin tribes, who have had tense relations for decades, and were complicated by the intervention of Sunni Arab tribes who converged on Sweida in support of the Bedouin. Witnesses, Druze factions and a monitor have accused government forces of siding with the Bedouin and committing abuses including summary executions when they entered Sweida last week. "We reached a formula that allows us to defuse the crisis by evacuating the families of our compatriots from the Bedouin and the tribes who are currently in Sweida city," the province's internal security chief Ahmad Dalati told state television. The ceasefire, though announced on Saturday, only effectively began on Sunday after Bedouin and tribal fighters withdrew from parts of Sweida and Druze groups regained control. Unidentified bodies The announcement came hours after the United States said it had negotiated a ceasefire between Syria's Islamist 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. The deal allowed the deployment of government security forces in Sweida province but not its main city. The AFP correspondent in the city said security forces had erected sand mounds to block some of Sweida's entrances. Sunni tribal fighters armed with machine guns were sitting on the roadside beyond the checkpoints, under the shade of trees. At the main hospital in Sweida city, dozens of bodies were still waiting to be identified, with a forensic medicine official at facility saying that "we still have 97 unidentified corpses". According to the United Nations, the violence has displaced more than 128,000 people, an issue that has also made collecting and identifying bodies more difficult. Health authorities have not released a comprehensive death toll. Aid convoy More than 450 bodies had been brought to the Sweida national hospital by Sunday evening, with more still being recovered from the streets and homes. "The dead bodies sent a terrible smell through all the floors of the hospital," said nurse Hisham Breik, who had not left the facility since the violence began. "The situation has been terrible. We couldn't walk around the hospital without wearing a mask," he said, his voice trembling, adding that the wounded included women, children and the elderly. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said hospitals and health centres in Sweida province were out of service, with "reports of unburied bodies raising serious public health concerns". Humanitarian access to Sweida "remains highly constrained", it said a statement late Sunday. On Sunday, a first humanitarian aid convoy entered the city which has seen power and water cuts and shortages of fuel, food and medical supplies. A Red Crescent official told AFP the supplies included body bags.
France 24
3 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Syrian authorities evacuate Bedouin families from Sweida city
An AFP correspondent outside the devastated provincial capital saw a convoy including buses enter Sweida and then exit again carrying civilians. They evacuees, including women and children, were headed for reception centres in neighbouring Daraa province and to the capital Damascus, in coordination with the Syrian Red Crescent. State news agency SANA said 1,500 people from Bedouin tribes were to be evacuated. The ceasefire announced Saturday put an end to the sectarian violence that has left more than 1,100 dead in a week, according to a monitor. Clashes began between Druze and Bedouin tribes, who have had tense relations for decades, and were complicated by the intervention of Sunni Arab tribes who converged on Sweida in support of the Bedoiun. Witnesses, Druze factions and a monitor have accused government forces of siding with the Bedouin and committing abuses including summary executions when they entered Sweida last week. "We reached a formula that allows us to defuse the crisis by evacuating the families of our compatriots from the Bedouin and the tribes who are currently in Sweida city," the province's internal security chief Ahmad Dalati told state television. The ceasefire was announced Saturday but effectively only began on Sunday, after Bedouin and tribal fighters withdrew from part of Sweida city and Druze groups retook control. The announcement 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. The deal allowed the deployment of government security forces in Sweida province but not its main city. On Sunday, a first humanitarian aid convoy entered the city which has seen power and water cuts and shortages of fuel, food and medical supplies.
The Independent
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Syria's leader urges Bedouin tribes to commit to a ceasefire ending clashes with the Druze
Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa urged Sunni Muslim Bedouin tribes Saturday to 'fully commit' to a ceasefire aimed at ending clashes with Druze-linked militias that left hundreds dead and threatened to unravel the country's post-war transition. Government forces that were initially sent to restore order but effectively sided with the Bedouins against the Druze were redeployed to halt renewed fighting that erupted late Thursday in the southern province of Sweida. The violence has also drawn airstrikes against Syrian forces by neighboring Israel before a truce was reached. In his second televised address since the fighting started, al-Sharaa blamed 'armed groups from Sweida' for reigniting the conflict by 'launching retaliatory attacks against the Bedouins and their families.' He also said Israeli intervention 'pushed the country into a dangerous phase." Israel had launched dozens of airstrikes on convoys of government fighters and even struck the Syrian Defense Ministry headquarters in central Damascus, saying it was in support of the Druze, who form a substantial community in Israel and are seen as a loyal minority, often serving in the Israeli military. Reports had surfaced of Syrian government-affiliated fighters executing Druze civilians and looting and burning homes over the four-day violence. The U.S. envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, announced that Israel and Syria had agreed to a ceasefire early Saturday. Al-Sharaa made no direct reference to the agreement in his speech, but said 'American and Arab mediations stepped in' to restore calm. Addressing the Bedouins, al-Sharaa said they 'cannot replace the role of the state in handling the country's affairs and restoring security.' He also said: 'We thank the Bedouins for their heroic stances but demand they fully commit to the ceasefire and comply with the state's orders." Meanwhile, a prominent Druze leader, Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri, who opposes the current government and has distanced himself from the two ceasefires announced on Tuesday and Wednesday, said that an agreement brokered under the sponsorship of guarantor states contained several measures aimed at de-escalating tensions in Suweida. They include the deployment of checkpoints outside the province's administrative borders to contain clashes and prevent infiltration, a 48-hour ban on entry by any party into border villages, and safe, guaranteed passage for remaining members of the Bedouin tribes still inside the province. Sharaa reiterated that Suweida 'remains an integral part of the Syrian state, and the Druze constitute a fundamental pillar of the Syrian national fabric," vowing to protect all minorities in Syria. He also thanked the United States for its 'significant role in affirming its support for Syria during these difficult times,' as well as Arab countries and Turkey, which mediated Wednesday's truce. More than half of the roughly 1 million Druze worldwide live in Syria. Most of the other Druze live in Lebanon and Israel, including in the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast War and annexed in 1981. The U.N. estimates more than 87,000 people have been displaced in Sweida province since July 12 due to heavy shelling, sniper fire and abductions. Entire communities have fled on foot, with many now crammed into overcrowded schools, churches and public buildings under dire conditions, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a report. Infrastructure damage has cut electricity, water and telecommunications in much of the area, it said. The main hospital in Sweida was operating at just 15% capacity due to staff shortages and a lack of fuel. The security situation is also endangering humanitarian workers. The White Helmets, also known as the Syrian Civil Defense, reported that one of their emergency team leaders went missing on July 16 while responding to a call for help from a U.N. team, OCHA said.
Telegraph
6 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Israel and Syria ‘agree to ceasefire'
Israel and Syria have reportedly agreed to a ceasefire after clashes this week between Syrian government forces, Bedouin tribes and the Druze minority. Tom Barrack, the United States' envoy to Damascus, said the truce was agreed on Friday night and was supported by Turkey, Jordan and other neighbouring countries. Mr Barrack did not share any details on the agreement but in a post on X he called for 'Druze, Bedouins, and Sunnis to put down their weapons and together with other minorities build a new and united Syrian identity in peace and prosperity with its neighbours.' It comes following renewed clashes between Druze groups and Bedouin clans in Syria's southern Sweida province, leaving tens of thousands of people displaced in a worsening humanitarian crisis. Government forces had withdrawn from Sweida following a separate ceasefire agreed upon with Druze groups on Wednesday after Israel launched dozens of airstrikes on convoys of government fighters and even struck the Syrian Defence Ministry's headquarters in the capital. Israel said it was acting to defend the Druze, who form a substantial community in Israel and are seen as a loyal minority there, often serving in the Israeli military. Earlier on Friday, Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa had announced that the government would send a 'specialised force to break up clashes and resolve the conflict on the ground' in Sweida. Officials had negotiated with Druze factions on an agreement to re-enter the area to impose stability and protect state institutions, according to two Syrian officials cited by the Associated Press. The United Nations has been unable to bring in much-needed humanitarian and medical aid because of ongoing clashes. Fighting began on Sunday between Druze militias and local Sunni Muslim Bedouin tribes. Government forces intervened, nominally to restore order, but ended up taking the Bedouins' side against the Druze. The fighting killed hundreds of people over four days, with allegations that government-affiliated fighters executed Druze civilians and looted and burned homes. A truce mediated by the US, Turkey and Arab countries was announced on Wednesday. Under the accord, Druze factions and clerics were to maintain the internal security in Sweida as government forces pulled out, al-Sharaa said. By late Thursday clashes were flaring again between the Druze and Bedouin groups in parts of Sweida province. State media reported that Druze militias carried out revenge attacks against Bedouin communities, leading to a new wave of displacement. The United Nations' migration agency said on Friday that nearly 80,000 people had been displaced altogether since clashes started on Sunday. It also noted that essential services, including water and electricity, have collapsed in Sweida, telecommunications systems are widely disrupted, and health facilities in Sweida and Daraa are under severe strain. Meanwhile 'there are severe disruptions to supply routes, with insecurity and road closures blocking aid deliveries,' Adam Abdelmoula, UN Resident and Humanitarian Affairs Coordinator in Syria, said on Friday. The World Health Organisation was able to send trauma care supplies to Daraa province, but Sweida remains inaccessible, he said. 'Once conditions allow, we are planning to send a mission to assess needs and provide critical aid, in full coordination with authorities,' Mr Abdelmoula said.
