According to Syria’s state-run Al Ekhbariya TV, citing a security official, armed groups attacked internal security forces in Sweida, resulting in one death and several injuries. The official noted that these groups breached the ceasefire agreement reached last month in the predominantly Druze region, following sectarian violence that claimed hundreds of lives, many of whom were civilians.
The unrest began in early July when fighting broke out between Bedouin and Druze groups after the abduction of a Druze trader on a government-controlled road north of Sweida city. The conflict soon escalated, leading to over 1,000 fatalities.
Druze militias and government forces
Syrian government forces were deployed to manage the situation, but Druze militias, who have expressed distrust towards the new authorities in Damascus and accused them of supporting the Bedouin, mobilised to counter government efforts.
The Druze community, a minority branch of Islam, is present in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel. Sweida province, largely Druze, also includes Sunni tribes, and tensions over land and resources have contributed to long-standing disputes between the groups.
Broader regional impact and responses
A US-mediated truce brought an end to nearly a week of violence in Sweida city and nearby areas. The government in Damascus has announced the formation of a committee to investigate the clashes.
The recent violence in Sweida posed a significant challenge to interim President Ahmed Al Shara, following a wave of sectarian attacks in March that resulted in hundreds of deaths among Alawite communities along the coast.
In July, Israel carried out strikes on key Syrian military sites in central Damascus, as part of an expanding aerial campaign in response to the situation in Sweida. Israeli officials stated the actions were intended to protect the Druze minority.
Separately, on Sunday, the Israeli military reported conducting a raid in southern Syria the previous day, during which they confiscated weapons and detained several individuals suspected of involvement in arms trafficking in the region.
