Fierce fighting broke out Tuesday morning in the southern Syrian city of Sweida, a Druze-majority stronghold, as government forces began entering the area, according to an AFP correspondent positioned at the city’s outskirts.
The renewed violence follows two days of deadly clashes between Druze fighters and Bedouin tribes, which have left dozens dead and raised alarm over the government’s capacity to maintain stability in the wake of President Bashar al-Assad’s ouster last December.
Druze Leader Rejects Call for Calm
While Druze religious leaders had issued a statement urging fighters to surrender their weapons peacefully, prominent spiritual authority Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri later distanced himself from the call. In a separate declaration, he urged the Druze community to "confront the barbaric campaign," accusing Damascus of violating its promises by continuing to shell the city.
“We are facing a war of extermination,” Hajri said, rallying Druze men to defend their land and dignity.
An AFP correspondent reported seeing thick black smoke rising from one neighborhood as Syrian government forces poured into the city. Footage captured by AFP showed pro-government fighters – some in civilian clothes – cheering and waving weapons atop a tank.
Military Ceasefire and Curfew
Syria’s Ministry of Defense announced Tuesday morning that government forces had "begun entering Sweida," which until now had been controlled by Druze factions. A curfew was declared, and residents were instructed to remain indoors and report any activity by what the government called “outlaw groups.”
Later in the day, Syrian Defense Minister General Marhaf Abu Qasra announced a ceasefire agreement with local Druze dignitaries. “A total ceasefire is now in effect inside the city of Sweida,” he said in a statement, adding that troops would only respond to hostile fire.
He also issued strict orders to government troops to protect civilians and public and private property, and announced plans to hand over security control of Sweida to the Internal Security Forces once sweeping operations conclude.
Military police units have been deployed across the city to oversee troop conduct and discipline.
Israeli Airstrikes
Syria’s state-run news agency SANA reported that Israeli warplanes targeted Sweida on Tuesday. The strikes come one day after Israel hit the city’s outskirts, where Syrian government reinforcements were gathered.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had warned earlier that Israel would not allow harm to come to Syria’s Druze population. “This is a clear warning to the Syrian regime. We will not permit Druze communities in Syria to be harmed,” he said.
The Israeli army confirmed that it had struck Syrian military vehicles in Sweida. According to Syrian television, the strikes resulted in deaths and injuries among the security forces and the army.
Tensions Rooted in Sectarian Divide
The clashes erupted Sunday between Druze fighters and local Bedouin tribes, whose relationship has long been strained. Government forces initially claimed they were intervening to restore calm, but multiple sources, including the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, eyewitnesses, and Druze groups, reported that the army joined Bedouin fighters in combat against Druze factions.
Sweida province is home to Syria’s largest Druze community.
The recent flare-up follows intercommunal violence in April near Damascus and in Sweida, which left more than 100 people dead. Druze fighters have since been managing security in the region under local agreements.
SANA said Israel’s latest strikes are part of what it described as ongoing “aggression.” Meanwhile, uncertainty lingers over whether Tuesday’s ceasefire will hold amid deepening distrust and escalating regional involvement.
With AFP
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