Sweida, southwest Syria – Armed clashes between local Druze factions and pro-government Bedouin tribes escalated on Friday across Syria’s southern province of Sweida, amid rising civilian casualties and international calls for restraint.
Local sources told +963 that tribal gunmen seized control of the village of Walgha near the provincial capital, while heavy explosions and street fighting were reported near the former Baath Party headquarters. Mortar shells landed in several nearby towns, including Qanawat, Atil, and Salim.
Footage circulated on social media appeared to show convoys of armed tribal fighters from other parts of Syria heading toward Sweida.
Syria’s Interior Ministry spokesperson Nour al-Din Baba denied reports of government security forces preparing to intervene, calling such claims “inaccurate and unfounded.”
Meanwhile, Emergency Minister Raed al-Saleh said a joint operations room had been activated to respond to the humanitarian crisis. Over 570 people were injured, 87 bodies recovered, and hundreds of families evacuated, he said.
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The UN Human Rights Office said it had received credible reports of field executions, arbitrary killings, abductions, looting, and destruction of civilian property. It urged the Syrian government to ensure accountability and protect civilians.
A source cited by Reuters said Israel may allow limited Syrian troop movements into Sweida in the coming 48 hours to contain the violence.
The Sweida Military Council, however, declared control over key frontlines and rejected any Syrian government troop presence. The council said its focus remained on repelling potential attacks by Islamic State (ISIS) militants from the desert.
In Lebanon, the Druze spiritual authority called for an immediate ceasefire and denounced foreign interference. It urged restraint and a unified position to preserve social cohesion.
Fighting flared Thursday in the countryside around Sweida, with tribal fighters reportedly attacking the villages of al-Dour and al-Tayra. Civilian displacement and casualties were reported, according to our reporters on the ground.
State news agency SANA accused “outlaw groups” of committing atrocities against civilians and tribal communities.
Online, local pages circulated distress calls from besieged Bedouin families, alleging reprisal attacks by Druze factions. A tribal commander told Reuters that his forces launched a new offensive to free detainees held by rival factions.
He added that a temporary ceasefire “only applies to government forces, not the tribes.”
