Syria’s southern province of Sweida descended into one of its worst episodes of communal violence this week, with the death toll nearing 600, forcing a military pullback and triggering fears of wider instability in the fractured country.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 594 people have been killed since Sunday in fierce clashes between armed Druze groups and tribal militias, after a Druze merchant was abducted on a major highway. The abduction appears to have ignited long-simmering tensions, unleashing full-scale fighting across the Druze heartland.
The violence erupted as Syrian government troops were deployed to the region on Tuesday. Their presence, rather than stabilising the situation, is believed to have aggravated hostilities, prompting an unprecedented order from the de facto government to withdraw all military personnel from the area.
Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, addressing the nation on Wednesday evening, announced that local community leaders would now take charge of security arrangements in Sweida “based on the supreme national interest.” His remarks followed reports of Israeli military intervention in the conflict zone.
Also read: Syria shifts to local control in Sweida as sectarian deaths rise
Sweida, which is predominantly populated by the Druze community, has long maintained a delicate peace despite Syria’s broader conflict. But the nation’s complex sectarian makeup, comprising 74 per cent Sunni Muslims, 12 per cent Alawites and Shia, 10 per cent Maronite Christians, and smaller minorities such as Druze, Kurds, and Yazidis, remains a flashpoint for violence, with kidnappings and land disputes often sparking wider confrontations.
The United Nations humanitarian agency OCHA said nearly 2,000 families have been displaced by the fighting over the past five days, raising concerns of a growing humanitarian crisis. Aid groups have reported difficulties in accessing the region due to the deteriorating security situation.
Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, the country has witnessed massive bloodshed, with casualties estimated between 700,000 and one million. The latest flare-up adds to the long list of tragedies that have marred Syria’s modern history, further exposing the fragile fault lines that divide its war-weary communities.
As Sweida’s future now hinges on the capabilities and restraint of local leaders, international observers have urged Damascus to facilitate reconciliation and humanitarian assistance, rather than allowing further descent into chaos.
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