A fragile peace has been restored to the Syrian city of Suweida after a week of violent tribal clashes between Druze fighters, Bedouin gunmen, and government forces. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that residents said fighting stopped on Sunday as Syria‘s Islamist-led government declared the Bedouins had withdrawn from the predominantly Druze city “after days of bloody battles and chaos”. This development follows a ceasefire announced by Syria’s president on Saturday, which didn’t immediately quell the fighting.
The clashes, which began after the abduction of a Druze merchant on the road to Damascus, have resulted in over 1,000 deaths and a severe shortage of medical supplies in the city. At least 128,000 people have been displaced by the violence, according to the United Nations migration agency. “Activists have reported that Suweida has been experiencing a cautious calm since the early hours of Sunday morning,” the SOHR said, adding that Syrian government security forces have closed roads leading to Suweida to contain tensions, allowing only ambulances to pass.
The humanitarian situation in Suweida remains dire, with hospitals severely understaffed and out of service. Kenan Azzam, a local dentist, described the hospitals as “a disaster and out of service”.
A Suweida medic stated that “no relief or medical assistance” had entered the city before Sunday. An unnamed resident emphasized the urgent need for aid, saying, “The smell of corpses is spread throughout the national hospital”. In response to the crisis, the Syrian Red Crescent is sending 32 trucks loaded with food, medicine, water, fuel, and other aid to Suweida.
Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government deployed forces to the city and urged the Bedouins to leave, stating they “cannot replace the role of the state in handling the country’s affairs and restoring security”. Washington’s special envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, called for an end to the fighting, saying, “All factions must immediately lay down their arms, cease hostilities and abandon cycles of tribal vengeance.
Syria stands at a critical juncture — peace and dialogue must prevail — and prevail now”. The clashes and atrocities have overshadowed initial optimism about Syria’s post-war transition and the international community’s lifting of sanctions.