Latest news with #BedouinTribes
LBCI
an hour ago
- Politics
- LBCI
EU 'alarmed' by Syria clashes, urges protection of civilians
The European Union Wednesday said it was "alarmed" by the continued clashes in Syria's Druze-majority Sweida, calling on all sides to implement a ceasefire and protect civilians. A statement by the EU's diplomatic arm also urged "all external actors" to "fully respect Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity" after Israel carried out strikes in support of the Druze. Syrian government forces stand accused of summary executions and other abuses in Sweida, where sectarian violence between Druze fighters and Bedouin tribes has left scores dead. AFP
Arab News
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Jordan, Iraq and Egypt say Israeli strikes in Syria jeopardize regional stability
LONDON: Jordan, Iraq and Egypt condemned the Israeli strikes that targeted Syria this week, stating that these actions are a blatant violation of sovereignty and international law. Israel struck Syrian forces and military vehicles as they approached the southern city of Sweida on Tuesday to restore stability after deadly clashes erupted in the region between the Druze sect and Bedouin tribes this week. On Wednesday, Israel struck the entrance of the Syrian government's military headquarters in the capital, Damascus, as the Israeli prime minister and minister of defense said they were intervening to 'protect' the Druze, who mainly live in Suweida. The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs condemned Israel's airstrikes, saying that they represent a dangerous escalation that jeopardizes Syria's stability and security. Foreign Ministry spokesman Sufyan Qudah urged an immediate halt to the Israeli attacks, stressing the necessity of upholding Syria's sovereignty and saying that Syria's security is vital for regional stability. The Iraqi Foreign Ministry said it 'strongly condemns the repeated military interventions carried out by the Israeli occupation authorities, which represent a flagrant violation of Syria's sovereignty, and a threat to the stability of the region.' Egypt also condemned the Israeli strikes in Syria and Lebanon, stating that such violations will heighten tensions and contribute to instability in the region. On Tuesday, Israel conducted strikes in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon's eastern region, resulting in the deaths of 12 people, according to Lebanese authorities. The Israeli military said that the attacks targeted the militant group Hezbollah.
The National
13 hours ago
- Politics
- The National
Sweida in flames: Syria's Druze city torn apart by urban warfare
What began as deadly clashes between Druze militiamen and Bedouin tribes in southern Syria has intensified into a violent urban assault, leaving scores dead and a historic city gripped by fear, violence and displacement. At dawn on Tuesday, government-aligned forces launched a large-scale offensive into the Druze-majority city of Sweida. Backed by tribal militias and extremist factions, the assault quickly turned from a 'security operation' into a street-by-street battle that has left military and civilian victims. Amid the chaos, witness accounts to The National reveal a disturbing pattern of ambushes, executions, looting and the symbolic humiliation of the Druze community. A city breached After days of increasing confrontations, government forces entered central Sweida under the pretext of restoring order. A military source told The National that the operation was co-ordinated in part with local Druze factions, including the city's spiritual council. But Sheikh Hikmat Al Hijri, the controversial Druze leader who has refused to make a deal with Damascus, remained defiant, refusing to surrender or negotiate. His fighters, dug into residential neighbourhoods, laid deadly ambushes. 'There were brutal confrontations,' said Abu Hamzeh, a Syrian security officer. 'Hikmat Hijri's gangs ambushed us repeatedly. We lost dozens of soldiers. They are trying to split the country.' Druze fighters inflicted major losses on government forces in what residents called co-ordinated and lethal attacks. Government tanks and troop carriers were hit in narrow alleys, and drone footage released by the Israeli military showed strikes on Syrian army sites – underscoring the regional implications of the battle. But the government's response was ferocious. Heavy shelling Artillery, Grad rockets, Shaheen drones and mortars rained down on densely populated neighbourhoods. Thousands of residents fled westward as the shelling turned homes into rubble. Sweida's western countryside emptied overnight. One witness described entire families walking for hours on foot, clutching plastic bags filled with their last belongings, while others tentatively stayed at home. Yara, a dental student, was among those who fled. 'We are under intense shelling,' she said. 'Some of my friends were killed. The army shelled our house with heavy weapons. We barely escaped. They looted everything, even furniture. This isn't security, it's a massacre.' Footage posted online showed scenes of panic and destruction. One video showed corpses of men apparently executed at close range, lying in their civilian clothes with blood soaking the floor of a traditional Druze guesthouse. Another clip showed a group of fighters forcibly shaving the moustache of an elderly Druze man, shaking and pinned down as a soldier ran a razor across his face. In Druze culture, the moustache is a sacred symbol of dignity and masculinity. In another video, a masked fighter was seen removing the moustache of a slain Druze man, holding it aloft: 'I'm taking this to Idlib,' he said. Such scenes led to outrage, especially as reports mounted of women being abducted, houses ransacked and civilians shot in their own homes. 'They took everything from me,' said a man from Omran Square. 'My car, my sound system, $5,000 in cash – gone. We're living in a jungle.' Disunited front While the Druze spiritual council largely backed the army's arrival, Mr Al Hijri's defiance fractured that unity. His fighters continued to resist, refusing any deal with Damascus, and reportedly had captured soldiers executed. The Syrian government has given his refusal to negotiate as a reason for the bloodshed, but residents say it is only part of the story. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported 2from the UK that at least 116 people were killed in the initial fighting – a number expected to rise significantly as bodies continue to be recovered. Local hospitals are overwhelmed, and power and water cuts have deepened the suffering. In a televised address, Syria's Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qusra called on troops to 'protect citizens' and 'preserve public and private property". He warned that any soldier involved in violations would be held accountable. But on the ground, accountability remains elusive. Residents speak of entire neighbourhoods stripped bare. 'They stole phones, jewellery, electronics,' one witness said. 'We even saw soldiers with razor blades in their pockets. They came prepared to humiliate.' Syrian authorities have since sent military police to Sweida, saying they would control rogue elements. A curfew was imposed at 8am on Tuesday, with residents ordered to remain indoors, but sporadic gunfire could be heard well into the night. The Interior Ministry insisted its forces were acting 'exclusively to protect the population and re-establish order". Yet the facts in Sweida suggest something darker: a city caught in the crossfire of sectarian tension, state violence, and the deep scars of Syria's fragmented postwar landscape. 'The people of Sweida are not rebels — they're defending their homes from a co-ordinated assault by General Security and extremist militias," activist Jessica Ez-al-Deen told The National."This isn't a fight over politics. It's a campaign to disarm and subjugate the Druze community by force.' She said the attacks struck civilian homes. 'Mortar shells rained down and entire families were wiped out. One mother watched all three of her sons executed in front of her." One of the dead was a dermatologist on her way to help at a hospital, Ms Ez-al-Deen said. "No one was spared, not even the healers.'
LBCI
a day ago
- Politics
- LBCI
US envoy says working to restore calm in Syria, calls clashes 'worrisome'
U.S. diplomat Tom Barrack said Tuesday that deadly violence in Syria's southern province of Sweida was "worrisome" and that his government was working to restore calm in the country. "The recent skirmishes in Sweida are worrisome on all sides, and we are attempting to come to a peaceful, inclusive outcome for Druze, Bedouin tribes, the Syrian government and Israeli forces," Barrack, Washington's special envoy to Syria, said on X, naming the parties involved in the violence since Sunday. AFP
Al Arabiya
a day ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Saudi Arabia slams Israel, welcomes Syrian govt response to Sweida clashes
Saudi Arabia on Tuesday slammed the Israeli attacks on Syria's government forces in Sweida, while welcoming the response by Damascus to restore security in the area after deadly clashes between Druze residents and tribal fighters. 'The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia … expresses its satisfaction with the measures taken by the Syrian government to achieve security and stability, maintain civil peace, and ensure the sovereignty of the state and its institutions over the entirety of Syrian territory, in a manner that preserves Syria's unity and security and fulfills the aspirations of the Syrian people,' a statement by the Saudi foreign ministry read. 'The Kingdom also condemns the blatant Israeli attacks on Syrian territory, interference in its internal affairs, and destabilization of its security and stability,' the Foreign Ministry said. Riyadh renewed its call to the international community to stand by Syria, 'support it at this stage, and confront these ongoing Israeli attacks and violations against Syria.' Syrian forces entered Sweida in recent days following deadly clashes between the Druze minority and Bedouin tribal fighters. Israeli forces then struck the Syrian security personnel, claiming to protect the Druze minority. Damascus vowed to exert its control over the Sweida area, which erupted into violence after Druze were targeted over the weekend, including the kidnapping of one Druze merchant. Videos showed Druze religious leaders and residents being harassed and attacked.
