Syria boils: More than 50 dead as Druze and Bedouin groups clash

More than 50 people have been killed and over 150 injured in a second day of sectarian violence in Syria’s southern Sweida province, where Bedouin tribes and Druze militias have clashed in one of the worst outbreaks of communal fighting since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December. The latest flare-up has once again demonstrated the questionable control the new government led by President Ahmed al-Shara has on the country.

 

The latest bout of violence began when members of a Bedouin tribe set up a roadside checkpoint and attacked a Druze man. It led to a cycle of retaliation, including kidnappings and armed skirmishes, between tribal fighters and Druze militias.

 

Official security forces were soon dispatched to the area, but the Druze were enraged as they were perceived to be siding with the Bedouin groups. Eighteen soldiers sent to restore order were killed in the fighting, said a defence official. Reinforcements were later dispatched to secure security checkpoints that had come under attack.

 

Israel, which views the Druze as a loyal minority within its own borders, intervened by striking several military tanks approaching Sweida. The Israeli army said the airstrikes were aimed at preventing hostile forces from massing near its northern frontier. Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that the strikes were intended as a warning to the Syrian government, saying Israel would not tolerate any threat to the Druze in Syria.

 

The escalation has alarmed observers across the region. The Druze, who follow a monotheistic religion that emerged as an offshoot of Islam, have long maintained a delicate position in Syria’s conflict, often keeping their distance from both the former regime and Islamist rebel groups. Since President al-Shara’s rise to power, Druze factions have resisted efforts to integrate their forces into a unified national army, leaving Sweida largely outside central government control.

 

The violence comes amid broader instability in the country. In March, more than 1,600 people were killed in sectarian fighting in Syria’s coastal provinces, mostly from the Alawite minority. In April, over 100 people died in clashes near Damascus involving pro-government forces and Druze militias.

 

In the latest incident, Suwayda 24, a local monitoring group, reported that civilians were attempting to flee the violence. The Syrian government issued a statement calling for restraint and claimed its forces were providing safe passage for those escaping the conflict zone.

 

Calls for calm have emerged from various quarters. One Druze religious council urged the government to protect its community from what it described as lawless armed gangs. While condemning all forms of violence, the group said it would not remain silent in the face of repeated violations of Druze rights and dignity. Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, one of the senior Druze spiritual figures in Sweida, however, publicly rejected the entry of government security forces and appealed for international protection.

 

President al-Shara’s government has argued that the ongoing unrest highlights the urgent need for stronger state institutions in regions like Sweida. Interior Minister Anas Khattab stated on social media that the lack of functioning military and security services was the main cause of the unrest and said restoring order was the only way to bring life back to normal.

 

Meanwhile, tensions have also been rising between the central government and Kurdish-led authorities in the northeast, despite a stalled agreement to merge their forces earlier this year.

 

UN deputy special envoy for Syria Najat Rochdi expressed deep concern over the situation and urged both the government and local actors to protect civilians and restore calm. She said the violence showed the urgent need for trust-building and meaningful dialogue to achieve a credible political transition.

Middle East