Latest news with #SyrianObservatoryForHumanRights
LBCI
14 hours ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Death toll from south Syria violence rises to 203
At least 203 people have been killed in southern Syria's Sweida province, a war monitor said Tuesday, giving an updated toll after several days of clashes that triggered the deployment of government forces. The dead include 92 members of the Druze minority, 21 of them civilians "killed in summary executions by government forces," according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, as well as 93 security personnel and 18 Bedouins.
LBCI
a day ago
- Politics
- LBCI
12 Druze civilians shot dead by Syria government forces
A monitoring group said Syrian government forces killed 12 Druze civilians when they stormed a family's guest house in Sweida city on Tuesday. "Members of the defense and interior ministries carried out field executions of 12 citizens after storming the Radwan family guest house in the city of Sweida," said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor with sources on the ground. An unverified video clip circulating on social media showed at least 10 people in civilian clothes covered in blood inside a guest house. Pictures of Druze dignitaries lay scattered around the room, alongside damaged furniture.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Syrian forces to move on Druze city after deadly sectarian clashes
DAMASCUS: Syrian government forces were to enter the majority Druze city of Sweida, the interior ministry said Tuesday, aiming to end clashes with Bedouin tribes that have killed nearly 100 southern city had been under the control of armed factions from the Druze minority, whose religious leaders said they had approved the deployment of Damascus's troops and called on fighters to hand over their weapons.A curfew was to be imposed on the southern city in a bid to halt the violence, which erupted at the weekend and has since spread across Sweida forces said they intervened to separate the warring sides but ended up taking control of several Druze areas around Sweida, an AFP correspondent reported. Military columns were seen advancing toward the city on Tuesday morning, with heavy artillery deployed troops had begun moving toward the city on Monday, taking control of at least one Druze village, with one Druze faction saying talks were underway with the Damascus Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor reported 99 people killed since the fighting erupted on Sunday – 60 Druze, including four civilians, 18 Bedouin fighters, 14 security personnel and seven unidentified people in military defense ministry reported 18 deaths among the ranks of the armed Druze religious authorities had called on Monday evening for a ceasefire and said they didn't oppose the central government, Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri, one of the three Druze spiritual leaders in Sweida, opposed the arrival of the security forces and called for 'international protection.'Israel, which has attempted to portray itself as a protector of the Druze in Syria and sees them as potential allies, bombed several Syrian tanks on strikes were 'a clear warning to the Syrian regime – we will not allow harm to be done to the Druze in Syria,' said Defense Minister Israel Katz, whose country has its own Druze fighting underscores the challenges facing interim leader Ahmad Al-Sharaa, whose Islamist forces ousted president Bashar Assad in December after nearly 14 years of civil pre-war Druze population was estimated at around 700,000, many of them concentrated in Sweida Druze, followers of an esoteric religion that split from Shiite Islam, are mainly found in Syria, Lebanon and deadly clashes with government forces in April and May, local and religious leaders reached an agreement with Damascus under which Druze fighters had been providing security in the province.'We lived in a state of extreme terror – the shells were falling randomly,' said Abu Taym, a 51-year-old a 46-year-old woman, said: 'We fear a repeat of the coastal scenario,' referring to massacres in March of more than 1,700 mostly Alawite civilians in northwest Syria, where groups affiliated with the government were blamed for most of the killings.'We are not against the state, but we are against surrendering our weapons without a state that treats everyone the same,' she a post on X, Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra urged his troops to 'protect your fellow citizens' from 'outlaw gangs,' and to 'restore stability to Sweida.'The violence began on Sunday when Bedouin gunmen abducted a Druze vegetable vendor on the highway to Damascus, prompting retaliatory Observatory said members of Bedouin tribes, who are Sunni Muslims, had sided with security forces during earlier confrontations with the and Druze factions have a longstanding feud in Sweida, and violence occasionally erupts between the two sides.
SBS Australia
2 days ago
- Politics
- SBS Australia
'We live in a state of terror': Syrians fear violence as dozens dead after sectarian clashes
Syrian government forces were advancing towards the southern city of Sweida to quell deadly clashes between Druze fighters and Bedouin tribes, with one Druze armed group saying talks with authorities aimed at brokering a truce were underway. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) war monitor reported over 100 people have been killed since the fighting erupted on Sunday — 60 Druze, including four civilians, 18 Bedouin fighters, 14 security personnel and seven unidentified people in military uniforms. As the violence escalated, Israel — which has previously warned it would intervene in Syria to protect the Druze — said it struck "several tanks" in the area as a "warning". Syrian forces took control of the Druze village of al-Mazraa, where Bedouin fighters were also located. A commander, Ezzeddine al-Shamayer, told Agence France-Presse the forces "are heading toward Sweida" city. Syria's defence ministry says "outlawed groups" have attacked government security forces. Source: AP / Ghaith Alsayed In a statement, Syria's interior ministry declared "army and internal security forces have moved closer to the centre" of Sweida province. Bassem Fakhr, spokesperson for the Men of Dignity movement, one of the largest Druze factions in Sweida, said talks were "underway between the notables of the city of Sweida and representatives of the general security [forces] and the defence ministry to reach a solution". Druze religious authorities called for a ceasefire in the area, saying they were not opposed to the Syrian central government. But Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, one of the three Druze spiritual leaders in Sweida, expressed his "rejection of the entry" of security forces into the province, demanding "international protection". READ MORE At least 20 killed in suicide bomb attack on Damascus church, Syrian officials say Israel — which also has a Druze population and has previously attacked Syria in purported defence of the group — reported hitting several tanks heading towards Sweida. The strikes were "a clear warning to the Syrian regime — we will not allow harm to be done to the Druze in Syria", Israeli defence minister Israel Katz posted on X. Fear of massacres The fighting in the south underscores the challenges facing interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose Islamist forces removed then-president Bashar al-Assad in December after nearly 14 years of civil war. Syria's pre-war Druze population was estimated at around 700,000, many of them concentrated in Sweida province. The Druze, followers of an esoteric religion that split from Shi'ite Islam, are mainly found in Syria, Lebanon and Israel. Following deadly clashes with government forces in April and May, local and religious leaders reached an agreement with Syria under which Druze fighters have been providing security in the province. The streets of Sweida were deserted on Monday, with an AFP photographer reporting distant gunfire during funerals. "We lived in a state of extreme terror — the shells were falling randomly," said Abu Taym, a 51-year-old father, adding, "most shops are closed". "We fear a repeat of the coastal scenario," said Amal, 46, referring to killings of more than 1,700 — mostly Alawites — in north-west Syria, according to SOHR, where groups affiliated with the government were blamed for most of the killings. "We are not against the state, but we are against surrendering our weapons without a state that treats everyone the same," she said. In a post on X, Syrian defence minister Murhaf Abu Qasra urged his troops to "protect your fellow citizens" from "outlaw gangs", and to "restore stability to Sweida".
France 24
3 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Dozens killed in violent clashes in predominantly Druze Syrian city
Clashes between Bedouin tribes and local fighters in the predominantly Druze city of Sweida in southern Syria have killed 37 people, a war monitor said Monday, as authorities sent forces to de-escalate the situation. The clashes are the first outbreak of deadly violence in the area since fighting between members of the Druze community and the security forces killed dozens of people in April and May. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 37 people had been killed, 27 of them Druze, including two children, and 10 of them Bedouin. Earlier Sunday, local outlet Sweida 24 gave a preliminary toll of 10 people killed and 50 wounded across both sides. It also reported the closure of the Damascus-Sweida highway due to the violence. A Syrian government source, who asked to remain anonymous as they were not allowed to brief the media, told AFP that authorities were sending forces to de-escalate the situation. Sweida Governor Mustapha al-Bakur called on his constituents to "exercise self-restraint and respond to national calls for reform". Several Syrian Druze spiritual leaders have also called for calm and asked Damascus to intervene. Syrian state-run media outlet SANA said the security forces had deployed on the administrative borders between the Daraa and Sweida provinces in light of the situation. Due to the violence, the education ministry announced the postponement of Sweida's official secondary school exams due on Monday to a future date. Syria's pre-civil war Druze population numbers around 700,000, with Sweida province home to the sect's largest community. Bedouin and Druze factions have a longstanding feud in Sweida, and violence occasionally erupts between the two. Since the overthrow of longtime Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad, concerns have been raised over the rights and safety of minorities under the new Islamist authorities, who have also struggled to re-establish security more broadly. Clashes between the new security forces and Druze fighters in April and May killed dozens of people, with local leaders and religious figures signing agreements to contain the escalation and better integrate Druze fighters into the new government.
