Druze

Syria Evacuates Bedouin from Druze-Majority Sweida as Ceasefire Holds

Syrian authorities on Monday evacuated Bedouin families from the Druze-majority city of Sweida, after a ceasefire in the southern province halted a week of sectarian bloodshed that a monitor said killed more than 1,100 people. An AFP correspondent outside the devastated provincial capital saw a convoy of buses and other vehicles enter Sweida and ...

Calm Returns to South Syria after Violence that Killed 1,000

Calm returned to southern Syria's Sweida province on Sunday, a monitor and AFP correspondents reported, after a week of sectarian violence between Druze fighters and rival groups that killed more than 1,000 people. A ceasefire announced on Saturday appeared to be holding after earlier agreements failed to end fighting between longtime rivals ...

Ceasefire Order Fails to Halt Fighting in Syria's Druze Heartland

Syrian Bedouin and their allies fought Druze fighters in the community's Sweida heartland for a seventh day Saturday despite a ceasefire ordered by the government following a US-brokered deal to avert further Israeli military intervention. AFP correspondents reported clashes in the west of the provincial capital as Druze fighters battled ...

Arab Tribes Warn Against Spreading Sweida Conflict to Lebanon

The Arab tribes of Khaldeh and Mount Lebanon released a firm statement on Friday condemning the violence in Syria’s Sweida province, describing it as a “dangerous sedition” that threatens Syria’s unity and could spill into Lebanon. In a heartfelt appeal, the tribes addressed their Syrian counterparts, especially those in Sweida and Daraa, ...

When Sweida Exposes Lebanon’s Fault Lines: What’s at Stake for the Country?

Clashes between Druze groups and government forces backed by tribal militias in the Syrian city of Sweida have claimed more than 500 lives since Sunday. Alongside this unprecedented wave of violence in this southern region, several Lebanese municipalities, mostly in Druze villages, have introduced preventive measures against foreigners, especially ...

Sweida: Druze and Sunni Religious Authorities in Lebanon Issue Joint Call for Unity and Restraint

In a joint appeal for unity and restraint, Sheikh Akl of the Druze community, Sheikh Sami Abi al-Mona, and Grand Mufti of the Republic, Sheikh Abdel Latif Derian, emphasized on Friday the importance of preserving national and intercommunal harmony amid the escalating violence in Syria’s Sweida region. In a phone conversation, the two ...

Sharaa's Pullout From Syria Druze Heartland Exposes Shaky Leadership

Under Israeli bombardment and diplomatic pressure, Ahmed al-Sharaa pulled troops from Syria's Druze heartland -- a move that exposes the interim leader's weakness just as he sought to assert control. Since seizing office in December after ousting longtime autocrat Bashar al-Assad, Sharaa has worked to recast himself from jihadist to statesman, ...

Syria: Bedouin Tribes Mobilize, Damascus Redeploys Troops, Israel Delivers Humanitarian Aid

Tensions continue to rise in the predominantly Druze province of Sweida in southern Syria. A spokesperson for the Syrian Interior Ministry said that government forces were preparing to redeploy to the city of Sweida in order to put an end to the ongoing clashes between Druze and Bedouin communities. Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon ...

Erdogan Accuses Israel of Using Druze as Pretext to Expand Into Syria

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday accused Israel of using the Druze minority in Syria as a pretext for expanding into the war-torn country. "Israel, using the Druze as an excuse, has been expanding its banditry into neighboring Syria over the past two days," Erdogan said in a televised speech after the weekly cabinet meeting. "I ...

Violence in Sweida: Lebanese Druze Call on International Community for Action

  An emergency meeting in solidarity with the Druze of Sweida was held on Wednesday in the village of Sharoun, in the Aley district, at the invitation of the religious authority of the Druze community in Lebanon. Numerous dignitaries, religious leaders, and members of parliament gathered around the Sheikh Akl, Sami Abu el-Mona. In his ...

Syria Promises to Punish those who Committed Abuses in Sweida

The Syrian presidency vowed to punish those who committed violations against Druze-majority Sweida's residents, as government forces were accused of summary executions and other abuses by right groups, witnesses and local factions. In a statement, the presidency said they "strongly condemn these heinous acts and affirm our full commitment to ...