Latest news with #armed clashes
LBCI
2 days ago
- LBCI
More than 30 killed in sectarian clashes in Syria's Sweida, interior ministry says
More than 30 people were killed and 100 injured in armed clashes in Syria's predominantly Druze city of Sweida, the Syrian interior ministry said early on Monday, in the latest bout of sectarian clashes. The violence erupted after a wave of kidnappings, including the abduction of a Druze merchant on Friday on the highway linking Damascus to Sweida, witnesses said. This is the first time sectarian fighting has erupted inside the city of Sweida itself, the provincial capital of the mainly Druze province. Last April saw clashes between Sunni fighters and armed Druze residents of Jaramana, southeast of Damascus, which later spread to another district near the provincial capital. "This cycle of violence has exploded in a terrifying way, and if it doesn't end, we are heading toward a bloodbath," said Rayan Marouf, a Druze researcher based in Sweida who runs the Suwayda24 website. The clashes involving Bedouin tribal fighters and Druze militias were centered in the Maqwas neighborhood east of Sweida, which is inhabited by Bedouin tribes, and was encircled by armed Druze groups and later seized. The Syrian Ministry of Interior said that its forces will begin direct intervention in Sweida to resolve the conflict, calling on local parties in the Druze city to cooperate with the security forces. Armed Bedouin tribesmen also launched attacks on Druze villages on the western and north outskirts of the city, residents said. A medical source told Reuters that at least 15 bodies had been taken to the morgue at Sweida's state hospital. Around 50 people were injured, with some transported to Deraa city for medical care.
Reuters
3 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
More than 30 killed in sectarian clashes in Syria's Sweida, interior ministry says
AMMAN, July 13 (Reuters) - More than 30 people were killed and 100 injured in armed clashes in Syria's predominantly Druze city of Sweida, the Syrian interior ministry said early on Monday, in the latest bout of sectarian clashes. The violence erupted after a wave of kidnappings, including the abduction of a Druze merchant on Friday on the highway linking Damascus to Sweida, witnesses said. This is the first time sectarian fighting has erupted inside the city of Sweida itself, the provincial capital of the mostly Druze province. Last April saw clashes between Sunni fighters and armed Druze residents of Jaramana, southeast of Damascus, which later spread to another district near the provincial capital. "This cycle of violence has exploded in a terrifyng way and if it doesn't end we are heading toward to a bloodbath," said Rayan Marouf, a Druze researcher based in Sweida who runs the Suwayda24 website. The clashes involving Bedouin tribal fighters and Druze militias were centered in Maqwas neighborhood east of Sweida, which is inhabited by Bedouin tribes, and was encircled by armed Druze groups and later seized. The Syrian ministry of interior said that its forces will begin direct intervention in Sweida to resolve the conflict, calling on local parties in the Druze city to cooperate with the security forces. Armed Bedouin tribesmen also launched attacks on Druze villages on the western and north outskirts of the city, residents said. A medical source told Reuters that at least 15 bodies had been taken to the morgue at Sweida's state hospital. Around 50 people were injured, with some transported to Deraa city for medical care. The violence marked the latest episode of sectarian bloodshed in Syria, where fears among minority groups have surged since Islamist-led rebels toppled President Bashar al-Assad in December, installing their own government and security forces. Those concerns intensified following the killing of hundreds of Alawites in March, in apparent retaliation for an earlier attack carried out by Assad loyalists. It was the deadliest sectarian flare-up in years in Syria, where a 14-year civil war ended last December with Assad fleeing to Russia after his government was overthrown by rebel forces.
Al Arabiya
3 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
More than 30 killed, 100 injured in clashes in Syria's Sweida
More than 30 people were killed and 100 injured in armed clashes in Syria's predominantly Druze city of Sweida, the Syrian interior ministry said early on Monday, in the latest bout of sectarian clashes. The violence erupted after a wave of kidnappings, including the abduction of a Druze merchant on Friday on the highway linking Damascus to Sweida, witnesses said. This is the first time sectarian fighting has erupted inside the city of Sweida itself, the provincial capital of the mostly Druze province. Last April saw clashes between Sunni fighters and armed Druze residents of Jaramana, southeast of Damascus, which later spread to another district near the provincial capital. 'This cycle of violence has exploded in a terrifying way and if it doesn't end we are heading toward to a bloodbath,' said Rayan Marouf, a Druze researcher based in Sweida who runs the Suwayda24 website. The clashes involving Bedouin tribal fighters and Druze militias were centered in Maqwas neighborhood east of Sweida, which is inhabited by Bedouin tribes, and was encircled by armed Druze groups and later seized. The Syrian ministry of interior said that its forces will begin direct intervention in Sweida to resolve the conflict, calling on local parties in the Druze city to cooperate with the security forces. Armed Bedouin tribesmen also launched attacks on Druze villages on the western and north outskirts of the city, residents said. A medical source told Reuters that at least 15 bodies had been taken to the morgue at Sweida's state hospital. Around 50 people were injured, with some transported to Deraa city for medical care. The violence marked the latest episode of sectarian bloodshed in Syria, where fears among minority groups have surged since extremist-led forces toppled President Bashar al-Assad in December, installing their own government and security forces. Those concerns intensified following the killing of hundreds of Alawites in March, in apparent retaliation for an earlier attack carried out by Assad loyalists. It was the deadliest sectarian flare-up in years in Syria, where a 14-year civil war ended last December with Assad fleeing to Russia after his government was overthrown by opposition forces.
The National
3 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Syria deploys troops to Suwayda as tribal clashes leave at least 30 dead
At least 30 people have been killed and 100 injured in armed clashes between Bedouin tribes and local fighters in the predominantly Druze city of Suwayda in southern Syria, the Interior Ministry said early on Monday. The ministry expressed 'deep concern and sorrow over the bloody developments'. 'This dangerous escalation comes amid an absence of relevant official institutions which has led to an exacerbation of chaos, a deterioration in the security situation and an inability of the local community to contain the crisis,' it added. The ministry said government forces would be sent to the region to stop the clashes and assess the situation, calling on all parties to co-operate. Bedouin and Druze factions have a longstanding feud in Suwayda, with violence occasionally erupting between the two. The latest clashes are the first outbreak of violence since deadly clashes between members of the Druze community and security forces in April and May, in which dozens of people were killed. However, this is the first time fighting has erupted inside the city of Suwayda. Since the collapse of the former regime under Bashar Al Assad last December, concerns have been raised over the rights and safety of minorities under the new Islamist authorities, who have struggled to re-establish security more broadly. In March, more than 1,000 people, including many civilians, were killed in fighting between fighters loyal to the former regime and government forces in the coastal provinces of Tartus and Latakia. These are strongholds of the Alawite minority group, to which the Assad family belongs.
