Sectarian bloodshed engulfs Sweida as Syria’s fragile truce unravels

Renewed fighting between Druze militias and Bedouin tribal groups in Syria's southern Sweida province has left hundreds dead and tens of thousands displaced, deepening an already dire humanitarian crisis. The violence erupted after the Syrian army withdrew from the area under Israeli pressure and diplomatic mediation, with the United Nations warning of a collapse in essential services and calling for independent investigations into reported atrocities.

 

Fighting began on July 13 when Bedouin tribesmen abducted a Druze vegetable merchant, triggering a series of tit-for-tat kidnappings and escalating clashes. By July 18, over 638 people had been killed, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). Government forces were initially deployed to restore order but reportedly sided with the Bedouin, fuelling accusations of partiality and brutality against Druze civilians and fighters. The army eventually pulled out, a move ordered by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who cited mediation by the US and other actors as having averted a wider escalation with Israel.

 

As the Syrian army withdrew, over 200 tribal fighters clashed with Druze forces at the entrance to Sweida city, using machine guns and mortar shells. Fighting continued throughout July 18 in various neighbourhoods, and the stench of decaying bodies overwhelmed the corridors of Sweida’s main hospital. With the morgue full, corpses were left on the streets. Local health officials said the hospital had received more than 400 bodies since the conflict started.

 

SOHR reported that many of the armed tribal groups flooding into Sweida were assisted by government forces unable to operate directly in the area due to a security understanding with Israel. The Israeli government, which launched multiple airstrikes against Syrian military targets in Sweida and Damascus earlier in the week, announced an aid package worth 2 million shekels (nearly $600,000) for Druze civilians. The strikes were aimed at pressuring the Syrian government to withdraw from the province and prevent further violence against the Druze community, which also has a sizeable presence in Israel.

 

Despite a ceasefire agreement announced on July 16, fresh fighting erupted soon. Druze militias reportedly launched revenge attacks on Bedouin villages, prompting new waves of displacement. The UN’s International Organisation for Migration said nearly 80,000 people have been forced to flee their homes since July 13, including more than 20,000 on July 17 alone.

 

In several villages near Sweida, tribal fighters gathered in support of the Bedouin. In the village of Walgha, homes and shops were torched, and control passed to the Bedouin and their allies. Anas al-Enad, a tribal leader from Hama, told AFP that his fighters responded to the Bedouin’s call for help. One armed man, identifying himself as Abu Mariam, said he had come from Deir ez-Zor to fight against Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, a prominent Druze leader opposed to the Damascus government.

 

The humanitarian toll continues to mount. Water and electricity supplies in Sweida have been severed, communication networks are down, and hospitals are overwhelmed. The International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) warned that medical facilities were running out of supplies and unable to preserve human remains due to power outages. ICRC’s Syria chief Stephan Sakalian described the situation as “critical”, noting that families could no longer bury their loved ones with dignity.

 

The UN’s top human rights official, Volker Türk, demanded independent and transparent investigations into the violence and stressed that the protection of civilians must be the top priority.

 

Syria’s interim government, formed after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in December, has faced difficulties in maintaining stable relations with the country’s religious and ethnic minorities. The latest Sweida clashes mark the worst violence since fighting between Druze militias and pro-government forces in April and May, which left more than 100 dead. Though the army claimed it was deployed to restore calm, local sources say troops backed the Bedouin and committed abuses, including summary executions and looting.

 

Officials said negotiations were underway to allow the return of Syrian forces to Sweida, with the aim of protecting state institutions. While an agreement was reportedly reached on July 18, the deployment was later delayed without explanation. The UN has so far been unable to deliver humanitarian supplies to Sweida due to the ongoing clashes and blocked supply routes. Only the World Health Organization has managed to send trauma kits to neighbouring Daraa province.

 

The violence has also affected the Syrian Civil Defense, known as the White Helmets. The head of its Sweida branch, Hamza al-Amarin, was kidnapped while attempting to evacuate a UN team. The organisation has since lost contact with him.

 

The latest unrest has exposed long-simmering tensions between the Druze and the Sunni Muslim Bedouin tribes, both of whom live in Sweida. Although both communities have coexisted for decades, disputes over land, resources and identity have periodically led to violent outbreaks. 

 

The Druze, a religious sect that split from Ismaili Shiism in the 10th century, number around one million globally, with the largest populations in Syria, Lebanon and Israel. In Israel, where many Druze serve in the military, there have been calls for intervention. However, Druze leaders across the region have expressed opposition to Israeli involvement. Sheikh Sami Abi al-Muna, the spiritual head of Lebanon’s Druze, warned that any Israeli role would inflame the region further and damage the Druze identity.

 

Speaking at a gathering of Druze leaders in Beirut, al-Muna called for all parties to uphold the truce and engage in national dialogue to resolve the conflict. Lebanese Druze political leader Walid Joumblatt, who helped mediate the truce, also urged the formation of an investigative committee to probe violations committed by all sides.

 

Despite diplomatic efforts, the violence in Sweida shows few signs of abating. With sectarian tensions spiralling and the state’s legitimacy in question, the interim government faces one of its gravest tests since coming to power. The fragile ceasefire, brokered with the help of regional powers, appears close to collapse, as Syria plunges deeper into instability and humanitarian despair.

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