Heavy fighting has resumed in Syria’s Suwayda governorate, located in the southern part of the country, between the Druze and Bedouin tribes. This latest escalation comes despite a fragile ceasefire agreement brokered earlier in the week, which has now collapsed.
The Syrian Ministry of Interior has denied reports that government forces are being redeployed to Suwayda to quell the fighting, with spokesperson Noureddine Al-Baba stating, “We confirm that no official statement has been issued in this regard, and we categorically deny the veracity of what was published.”
The conflict in Suwayda is rooted in long-standing tensions between the Druze and Bedouin tribes, which have been exacerbated by the power vacuum created after the removal of President Bashar al-Assad in December last year.
Reports from Damascus described the situation as a “very dangerous escalation” and noted that “it is an old fault line between Bedouin tribes and some Druze factions, and there have been bouts of violence since the fall of the regime.” The recent violence has prompted appeals for help from locals, with Bedouin tribes calling on other tribes in different provinces to join the fight.
The Syrian government has condemned Israeli attacks on its territory, labeling them as a “flagrant violation” of its sovereignty and international law. Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have also spoken out against Israel’s actions, with Erdogan stating that Turkey will not allow Syria to be divided or its multicultural structure and territorial integrity harmed.
Meanwhile, the United States has expressed concerns over the escalating violence, with State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce saying, “We are engaging diplomatically with Israel and Syria at the highest levels, both to address the present crisis and reach a lasting agreement between the two sovereign states.” Notably, the US “did not support recent Israeli strikes”.
The ongoing conflict has resulted in significant humanitarian concerns, with the United Nations refugee agency expressing “very concern” about the impact of hostilities in Suwayda on its aid operations. The agency’s spokesperson, William Spindler, stated, “It is very difficult for us to operate there… at the moment our capacity to deliver aid is very limited. We are calling on all parties to allow humanitarian access.”
The head of the United Nations human rights office, Volker Turk, has also urged Syrian authorities to ensure accountability and justice for killings and violations in Suwayda, emphasizing that “this bloodshed and the violence must stop, and the protection of all people must be the utmost priority, in line with international human rights law”.
In a poignant call for support, Bedouin tribal leader Abdul Moneim al-Naseef issued a statement surrounded by armed tribesmen, saying, “To repel harm from our people, and in response to God’s command, we direct a call to the tribes in all Syrian provinces to head immediately to Suwayda to save our people from massacres and ethnic cleansing.” Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, one of the spiritual leaders of the Syrian Druze community, has also emphasized the importance of protecting civilians and maintaining stability, stating, “We are not sectarian, and we have never wanted to cause division. We hold full responsibility for anyone who tampers with security and stability.”
As the situation in Suwayda continues to deteriorate, the international community remains deeply concerned about the escalating violence and its potential implications for regional stability.