Sectarian fighting resumes in Syria with Druze city Sweida 'under siege'

Syrian government denies returning forces to southern region

Sectarian fighting resumed in the south of Syria on Friday, damaging hopes of calm after government forces ended their offensive against a Druze minority stronghold.

A witness told The National that Bedouin tribes had taken control of Mazraa, a Druze-majority village in the western suburbs of regional capital Sweida. Photos showed smoke rising from the area as Bedouin fighters roamed the south of Syria on the backs of trucks, amid attacks by Druze militias.

The witness said homes and cars were completely burnt. Two sources on the ground said fighting was continuing on Friday afternoon near the village of Walgha, also on Sweida’s western outskirts.

The death toll from this week's clashes rose above 600, while Syria's White Helmets announced one of their aid workers was missing after entering Sweida. Hamza Al Amarin was stopped by local gunmen while trying to escort UN staff out of the city, and his colleagues have since lost contact, the White Helmets said.

Bedouin fighters arrive at the village of Al Dour near Sweida city, in southern Syria. AP

Inside Sweida city, a fragile calm held throughout Friday, though battles raged on its periphery. Three locals, speaking to The National by phone under pseudonyms for security reasons, said the city was completely sealed off and described it as “under siege”.

“The situation is very difficult, no electricity, no water, barely any internet,” said one resident, Walid. “I don’t know how long we can hold on.”

“Sweida is under siege,” said Cham, another resident, adding that they only had some flour and vegetables left and were running low on infant formula.

Smoke was rising from Mazraa, a Druze-majority village in the suburbs of Sweida. EPA

Ramzi, who had evacuated to a safer area in the southern part of the province before fighting resumed, said he returned on Friday morning to find his home looted.

“They stole everything. Everything,” he said.

The Syrian government on Friday denied its forces were returning to Sweida, after reports claimed troops were being sent back to ensure stability and protect state institutions. Those reports are inaccurate, Interior Ministry spokesman Noureddine Al Baba said.

He added that government forces were “in a normal state of readiness, with no movement or deployment in the Sweida governorate so far”, according to Syria's state news agency Sana.

More than 600 people, including civilians and fighters from both sides, as well as members of Syria's security forces, have been killed, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. SOHR did not immediately report casualties from the renewed violence on Friday.

Fighting resumes between Druze groups and Bedouin clans in Syria

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Amid the escalating humanitarian crisis, the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management announced on Friday the formation of a joint operations room to co-ordinate relief, evacuation, and ambulance services. It said hundreds of families had been evacuated to safer areas.

Syrian government forces largely withdrew from Sweida on Thursday, but clashes resumed just hours later between Druze fighters and Bedouin tribes in the Western outskirts of the city.

State media reported attacks against Bedouin tribes in the Al Maqous neighbourhood, forcing many people to flee. It said on Thursday that Druze militia men had launched retaliation attacks on Sunni Bedouin communities, in what it called “massacres” from “outlaw groups”.

Fighters from Bedouin tribes roam the village of Mazraa in the suburbs of Sweida. EPA

The denial of Syrian government forces returning followed reports by Reuters and AP that troops were returning to the area, as clashes continued despite a ceasefire. A witness in the city of Deraa, about 90km west of Sweida, told The National that large convoys of troops passed through the area en route to the province, before turning back.

The confusion was compounded by reports in Israeli media that said Israel had agreed to allow Syrian security forces to enter the Sweida area for the next 48 hours as a result of the instability.

Sweida has faced days of bloodshed since fighting broke out between armed Druze fighters and Bedouin tribesmen. The violence led Syrian government forces to intervene, raising fears of broader instability in the country’s postwar transition. Israel launched air strikes on Syria, saying it was acting in support of the Druze, who also have a presence in Israel.

Israel strikes

Sana said Israel carried out another air strike near Sweida late on Thursday night, though Israel denied the report. Washington said it did not support Israel's attacks and had made clear its “displeasure”. Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara accused Israel of trying to fragment his country.

US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said the US was actively engaging all constituencies involved in Syria. It called on the Syrian government to lead the path forward.

“Regarding Israel's intervention and activity … the United States did not support recent Israeli strikes,” she said. “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.”

Syrians have their say on deadly clashes and Israeli strikes

Syrians have their say on deadly clashes and Israeli strikes

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Ms Bruce declined to say whether Washington supports Israel carrying out such military operations when it deems necessary.

“I won't speak to future conversations or past ones. What we're dealing with now is this particular episode, what was required, and I think we've been very clear about our displeasure, certainly that the President has, and we've worked very quickly to have it stopped,” she said.

A four-day offensive in Sweida by elite Syrian government forces, including sniper units, night mission brigades and allied militias, has shattered the city.

But on Thursday a ceasefire was announced involving some but not all representatives of the Druze community, and government troops and allied militias began withdrawing in the face of Israeli and US pressure.

The Syrian presidency however soon accused Druze fighters in Sweida of violating the ceasefire. In a statement, it said “outlaw forces” were violating the deal through “horrific violence” against civilians.

Syria's President addresses Sweida unrest and Israeli attacks

Syria's President addresses Sweida unrest and Israeli attacks

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Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said there had been an attempt to “sabotage the ceasefire that was achieved yesterday with the contributions of our country”. He also said Israel had shown once again that it did not want peace or stability in Syria.

“Israel, using the Druze as an excuse, has expanded its banditry to Syria,” he said. He called Israel a “lawless, rule-breaking, unprincipled, spoiled, pampered, and bloodthirsty terrorist state”.

Joint Gulf-Arab-Turkish statement

The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Turkey, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon and Egypt issued a joint statement reaffirming support for Syria's “security, unity, stability and sovereignty”, and rejecting all foreign interference in its affairs.

They welcomed the agreement reached to end the crisis in Sweida and emphasised the necessity of its implementation to protect Syria and its unity.

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also welcomed in a call with Mr Al Shara the measures taken by Damascus to contain the recent events.

Israel strikes Syria's Defence Ministry HQ in Damascus

Israel strikes Syria's Defence Ministry HQ in Damascus

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Addressing Syrians on Thursday, Mr Al Shara accused Israel of seeking to “dismantle the unity of our people”.

He said Israel had “consistently targeted our stability and created discord among us since the fall of the former regime”.

Mr Al Shara, commander of an Al Qaeda faction before cutting ties with the group in 2016, said protecting Druze citizens and their rights was “our priority”, and he rejected any attempt to drag them into the hands of an “external party”.

He also vowed to hold to account those who committed violations against “our Druze people”.

But the Druze's spiritual leadership in Syria, led by Hikmat Al Hijri, has been critical of Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, the splinter group of Al Qaeda that formed the new Syrian government under Mr Al Shara last year after ousting former president Bashar Al Assad.

Mr Al Hijri, previously a key figure in a civil disobedience movement against the Assad regime, has labelled the new government extremist and anti-democratic. Mr Al Hijri said he was not part of the ceasefire deal with government troops.

Many Druze have opposed attempts by the government to station security forces from outside the area in Sweida, saying such personnel should be drawn from the local population.

Sweida is home to most of Syria's registered 800,000 Druze. But many have left, particularly during the country's 13-year civil war, with about 270,000 remaining in the province.