Latest news with #DefenseandInteriorMinistries


L'Orient-Le Jour
a day ago
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Inter-communal fighting kills 940 in Syria; 1 killed in Israeli strike in Khiam
At least 940 people have been killed in Syria's Sweida province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said Saturday in an updated toll for a week of violence in the heartland of the Druze minority. According to the NGO, 588 Druze — 326 fighters and 262 civilians — were killed, including 182 'summarily executed by members [of forces under] the Defense and Interior Ministries.' The dead also include 312 members of government forces and 21 Sunni Bedouins, including three civilians 'summarily executed by Druze fighters,' according to the SOHR. In addition, 15 members of government forces were killed in Israeli strikes, according to the NGO.


L'Orient-Le Jour
a day ago
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Death toll from Sweida violence rises to 940: Monitor
At least 940 people have been killed in Syria's Sweida province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said Saturday in an updated toll for a week of violence in the heartland of the Druze minority. According to the NGO, 588 Druze — 326 fighters and 262 civilians — were killed, including 182 'summarily executed by members [of forces under] the Defense and Interior Ministries.' The dead also include 312 members of government forces and 21 Sunni Bedouins, including three civilians 'summarily executed by Druze fighters,' according to the SOHR. In addition, 15 members of government forces were killed in Israeli strikes, according to the NGO.


Shafaq News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Despite ceasefire: Druze leader rejects Syrian deployment in Suwayda
Shafaq News – Damascus Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, the spiritual leader of Syria's Druze community, accused the Syrian government on Tuesday of forcing a statement following days of deadly clashes in Suwayda province between Druze and Bedouin groups. Sheikh al-Hijri said that the Druze leadership had been coerced—under pressure from Damascus and unnamed foreign powers—into issuing a "humiliating" statement that welcomed the deployment of government forces which he accepted in hopes of protecting civilians. 'Despite accepting this disgraceful statement for the sake of our people's safety, they broke their promise,' he declared, accusing government forces of continuing 'indiscriminate shelling against civilians.' 'We are facing a campaign of total extermination,' al-Hijri warned, calling on all Syrians to reject humiliation and resist the assault by all possible means. The Druze leader's remarks came as the Syrian Ministry of Defense announced a full ceasefire in Suwayda city, instructing units to halt fire unless directly attacked. Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra confirmed that the ceasefire was coordinated with local elders, though units would still respond to 'outlaw groups.' The deployment, however, was met with suspicion and anger among segments of the local population, particularly after fresh violence erupted just hours following the ceasefire announcement. Violence first flared on Sunday following a reported robbery along the Damascus highway. While accounts vary, one version claims that a Druze merchant returning from Damascus was assaulted and robbed by armed men who hurled sectarian insults before abandoning him in a remote area. Another version alleges that a Druze man was kidnapped, prompting a retaliatory operation by forces loyal to Sheikh al-Hijri, who reportedly abducted 10 individuals from Bedouin tribes. The situation escalated on Monday morning when Bedouin armed groups—allegedly supported by units from Syria's Defense and Interior Ministries—launched an attack from eastern Daraa, targeting several villages in Suwayda's western countryside. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 116 people have been killed in the violence, including 64 Suwayda residents and 52 Bedouin tribesmen, government soldiers, and unidentified fighters in military uniforms. Dozens of others, including children, were wounded—some critically. The Syrian Ministry of Defense confirmed that six government soldiers were killed during the clashes, alongside at least 30 fighters from both sides and over 100 injured individuals.


Shafaq News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Druze leader rejects Syrian Government ceasefire statement
Shafaq News – Damascus Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, the spiritual leader of Syria's Druze community, accused the Syrian government on Tuesday of breaching an imposed ceasefire agreement following days of deadly clashes in Suwayda province between Druze and Bedouin groups. In a strongly worded statement, Sheikh al-Hijri said that the Druze leadership had been coerced—under pressure from Damascus and unnamed foreign powers—into issuing an earlier statement that welcomed the deployment of government forces. He described the agreement as 'humiliating' but accepted it in hopes of protecting civilians. 'Despite accepting this disgraceful statement for the sake of our people's safety, they broke their promise,' he declared, accusing government forces of continuing 'indiscriminate shelling against civilians.' 'We are facing a campaign of total extermination,' al-Hijri warned, calling on all Syrians to reject humiliation and resist the assault by all possible means. Earlier today, the Syrian Ministry of Defense announced a full ceasefire in Suwayda city, instructing units to halt fire unless directly attacked. Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra confirmed that the ceasefire was coordinated with local elders, though units would still respond to 'outlaw groups.' The deployment, however, was met with suspicion and anger among segments of the local population, particularly after fresh violence erupted just hours following the ceasefire announcement. Violence first flared on Sunday following a reported robbery along the Damascus highway. While accounts vary, one version claims that a Druze merchant returning from Damascus was assaulted and robbed by armed men who hurled sectarian insults before abandoning him in a remote area. Another version alleges that a Druze man was kidnapped, prompting a retaliatory operation by forces loyal to Sheikh al-Hijri, who reportedly abducted 10 individuals from Bedouin tribes. The situation escalated on Monday morning when Bedouin armed groups—allegedly supported by units from Syria's Defense and Interior Ministries—launched an attack from eastern Daraa, targeting several villages in Suwayda's western countryside. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 116 people have been killed in the violence, including 64 Suwayda residents and 52 Bedouin tribesmen, government soldiers, and unidentified fighters in military uniforms. Dozens of others, including children, were wounded—some critically. The Syrian Ministry of Defense confirmed that six government soldiers were killed during the clashes, alongside at least 30 fighters from both sides and over 100 injured individuals.


Shafaq News
6 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Israeli airstrikes hit Syrian tanks as clashes escalate in Suwayda
Shafaq News – Damascus At least 89 people were killed on Monday in clashes between Druze fighters and Bedouin gunmen in Syria's Suwayda province, as Israeli warplanes struck Syrian military tanks near the province's western border. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the casualties include 46 Druze fighters, four Druze civilians, 18 Bedouin combatants, 14 members of the Syrian security forces, and seven unidentified individuals in military uniform. The fighting, now in its second day, is concentrated in the villages of Kanaker, Thaala, and al-Mazraa. Local Druze groups are engaged against attackers from Bedouin tribes supported by forces from Syria's Defense and Interior Ministries. Amid the battles, the Israeli army announced it had targeted several Syrian tanks near the village of Samee', claiming they crossed into a restricted zone near the Golan Heights. #عاجل 🔴 جيش الدفاع هاجم قبل قليل عدة دبابات في منطقة قرية سميع (منطقة #السويداء) في جنوب #سوريا. يتبع — افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) July 14, 2025 Israeli media reported that the tanks were moving toward conflict zones, suggesting that the operation aimed to block Syrian government reinforcements. Combat has also spread to al-Maqous, al-Tira, and al-Soura al-Kabira, where reports indicate the use of live ammunition, mortars, and heavy weaponry. Bedouin gunmen have reportedly set up checkpoints and detained Druze civilians, prompting residents to flee under the threat of shelling. The violence began after a reported robbery targeting a merchant on the Damascus highway escalated into kidnappings and armed confrontations. Israel, which frequently targets southern Syria, has previously warned the Syrian government against violating its border lines. Recent reports suggest Israel has provided medical assistance to some Druze fighters and engaged in informal communication with local religious leaders.