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Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Syria's armed Bedouins say they have withdrawn from Druze-majority city after weeklong fighting
MAZRAA, Syria — Syria's armed Bedouin clans announced Sunday that they had withdrawn from the Druze-majority city of Sweida after weeklong clashes and a U.S.-brokered ceasefire, as humanitarian aid convoys started to enter the battered southern city. The clashes between militias of the Druze religious minority and the Sunni Muslim clans killed hundreds and threatened to unravel Syria's fragile postwar transition. Israel also launched dozens of airstrikes in the Druze-majority Sweida province, targeting government forces who had essentially sided with the Bedouins. The fighting also led to targeted sectarian attacks against the Druze community, followed by revenge attacks against the Bedouins. A series of tit-for-tat kidnappings sparked the violence in various towns and villages in the province, later spreading to Sweida city, the provincial capital. Government forces were redeployed to halt renewed fighting that erupted 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. He later urged the Bedouins to leave the city, saying 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 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. The Bedouins' withdrawal brought a cautious calm to the area, with humanitarian convoys on their way. The Syrian Red Crescent said Sunday it sent 32 trucks loaded with food, medicine, water, fuel and other aid after the fighting left the province with power cuts and shortages. The state-run Syrian Arab News Agency, known as SANA, reported that the convoy entered Sweida on Sunday, but accused 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 organizations. Al-Hijri did not directly respond to the accusations but said in a statement that he welcomes any assistance for Sweida and decried 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. 'Shame and disgrace be upon all those who seek to sow discord and hatred in the minds of young people.' The U.N. International Organization 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 postwar 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,' Barrack said on X. 'Syria stands at a critical juncture — peace and dialogue must prevail — and prevail now.' Among those killed in the weeklong fighting were dozens of Druze civilians slain in a series of targeted attacks in Sweida city at the hands of Bedouin fighters and government forces. Videos surfaced online of fighters destroying portraits of Druze religious officials and notables in homes, and shaving the mustaches of elderly Druze, seen as an insult to culture and tradition. Druze militias in return attacked Bedouin-majority areas on the outskirts of the province, forcing families to flee to neighboring Daraa province. 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. Syria's Druze largely celebrated the Assad family's downfall, which ended decades of autocratic rule. While they had concerns about Al-Sharaa's de facto Islamist rule, a large number wanted to approach matters diplomatically. Al-Hijri and his supporters, though, have taken a more confrontational approach with the interim president, contrary to most other influential Druze figures. Critics also note Al-Hijri's previous allegiance to ousted President Bashar Assad. But the recent clashes and sectarian attacks on the minority community have made a growing number of Druze in the area more skeptical about Damascus' new leadership and more doubtful of peaceful coexistence. Alsayed and Chehayeb write for the Associated Press and reported from Mazraa and Beirut, respectively.
Roya News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Roya News
President Sharaa receives final report on Syria's coastal unrest
Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa has officially received the final report from the "National Fact-Finding and Investigation Committee" regarding the controversial events that took place in Syria's coastal regions last March, Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported on Sunday. The committee, formed to investigate the circumstances of the unrest and determine responsibility, submitted a comprehensive report to the presidency detailing its findings and recommendations. The March incidents in the coastal areas sparked widespread public and political debate, prompting the creation of the investigative body to examine the causes and consequences of the events. The release of the committee's findings is expected to have significant political implications. Public and political circles are closely watching to see how the presidency will respond to the report's conclusions, with hopes that the recommended measures will help resolve the aftermath of the unrest and close this chapter of tension.
Saudi Gazette
3 days ago
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Clashes continue in Suwayda despite Syria ceasefire implementation
DAMASCUS — Armed clashes continued Saturday between Bedouin tribal fighters and local armed groups in Syria's southern province of Suwayda, despite the launch of a nationwide ceasefire and the deployment of internal security forces. According to the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), security units have begun moving into Suwayda and surrounding areas to enforce the ceasefire agreement and restore stability. However, heavy fighting was still reported in multiple parts of the province, underscoring the fragile nature of the truce. The presidency in Damascus announced the ceasefire earlier Saturday following days of violent unrest that erupted on July 13 between Bedouin Arab tribes and armed Druze factions. The violence escalated sharply when Israel launched airstrikes on Syrian military positions, including targets in the capital, Damascus. Tel Aviv claimed its actions were aimed at protecting Druze communities near the border. The flare-up is the latest challenge for Syria's new transitional government, which took power in January after longtime leader Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia in December, effectively ending more than six decades of Baath Party rule. President Ahmad al-Sharaa now leads the interim administration, tasked with restoring order and rebuilding state institutions. Saturday's deployment of internal security units is part of that effort. However, continued clashes in Suwayda highlight deep divisions and the complex tribal and sectarian dynamics that remain unresolved, even amid broader political transition and attempts at stabilization. — Agencies
Roya News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Roya News
Over 1,000 Bedouins held by armed groups, hundreds displaced in Sweida: Reports
Armed groups have detained more than 1,000 Bedouin civilians in the town of Shahba in Syria's Sweida province, following the withdrawal of Syrian government forces from the area, according to local news outlets. The civilians are reportedly being held inside a mosque by what local sources described as armed militias. In a related development, over 500 Bedouin families have fled their homes after armed groups set fire to their houses. The displacement has led to a large-scale forced exodus of Bedouin tribes from rural Sweida. According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), these events mark a wave of forced displacement following what it described as "violations and massacres" committed by groups operating outside the law against civilians.
Daily News Egypt
6 days ago
- Politics
- Daily News Egypt
Israel escalates airstrikes on Syria amid surging violence in Suwayda
Israel has sharply escalated its aerial bombardment of Syria, launching strikes on the capital Damascus and the southern province of Suwayda in what Defence Minister Yoav Gallant described as 'painful attacks' targeting Syrian state institutions and military sites. The wave of strikes has drawn mounting regional and international condemnation and renewed fears of a wider conflict. According to Syria's Ministry of Health, three people were killed and 34 others injured after Israeli warplanes carried out three consecutive airstrikes on the headquarters of the General Staff in central Damascus. The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported additional strikes near the international highway in Daraa. Meanwhile, Israeli military sources told Yedioth Ahronoth that the Israeli Air Force fired over 100 missiles at Syrian army tanks and vehicles in Suwayda. An Israeli military spokesperson said the strikes were 'a message to the Syrian government regarding the events in Suwayda,' while the army claimed to remain 'deeply committed to our alliance with the Druze community.' Defence Minister Gallant vowed that Israel would continue its operations until Syrian forces withdraw from the conflict zone. The Syrian Network for Human Rights documented 169 deaths and more than 200 injuries in Suwayda since clashes began last Sunday, with victims reportedly including civilians, women, children, and medical staff. The violence erupted after the Syrian army and internal security forces deployed to reassert control over the province, which has experienced a security vacuum since December 2024. Despite the government's announcement of a comprehensive ceasefire, Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri denied reaching any such agreement, instead calling for resistance against what he labelled 'internal occupation.' The ceasefire plan announced by Syria's Ministry of Interior included an immediate end to hostilities, the establishment of local security checkpoints, disarmament of groups outside state control, and the resumption of government institutions in Suwayda. It also outlined the creation of a fact-finding committee and compensation for victims. Israel's military escalation has triggered strong international backlash. UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the strikes and called for respect for Syria's sovereignty and an end to foreign interventions. The Arab League denounced the attacks as 'thuggery that cannot be tolerated' and expressed full solidarity with Syria. Several Arab states—including Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, and Egypt—along with Turkey and France, voiced deep concern over the deteriorating situation and warned of a worsening humanitarian crisis in Suwayda. US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack also condemned the violence against civilians and called for an immediate ceasefire. Separately, Axios cited a senior US official saying Washington was close to brokering a security understanding between Israel and Syria, but the latest escalation could derail progress. The official noted intelligence indicating no direct Syrian government involvement in the atrocities in Suwayda, and pointed to political pressure from Israel's Druze community as a factor behind the strikes. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed serious concern over Israel's actions and confirmed that Washington is engaging both Syrian and Israeli officials to reduce tensions. He attributed the violence partly to a 'long-standing tribal conflict' in southwestern Syria and reiterated US hopes of restoring stability. US President Donald Trump later described the situation as a 'misunderstanding' between the two sides, saying he had spoken to leaders in Syria and Israel and hoped for de-escalation soon. With fighting ongoing in Suwayda and Israeli strikes expanding in scope, fears are rising that local clashes could spill over into a broader regional conflict. Southern Syria, already grappling with collapsing public services and a deepening humanitarian crisis, faces further instability. While the Syrian government insists it is committed to restoring order, continued Israeli intervention and internal divisions among Druze leadership risk plunging the region into renewed chaos and violence unless a comprehensive de-escalation agreement is reached, supported by robust regional and international guarantees.
