Nearly 600 killed in Southern Syria’s sectarian violence

TIMES Report
2 Min Read
Clashes in Sweida with Syrian soldiers firing weapons before the ceasefire was announced. Photo: AP

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reports that 594 people have been killed in recent sectarian fighting in Syria’s southern Suweida province. The violence, which began Sunday, marks one of the bloodiest outbreaks in the region in recent years.

Among the dead are 300 members of the Druze minority, including 146 fighters and 154 civilians, 83 of whom were reportedly executed by government forces. SOHR also documented the deaths of 257 government personnel and 18 Bedouin fighters, while Druze fighters allegedly killed three Bedouin civilians.

The clashes began as a local dispute between Druze and Bedouin communities but escalated rapidly following the entry of government forces into Suweida. 

Israeli air strikes, which Israel said were aimed at protecting the Druze and forcing Syrian troops to withdraw, killed 15 more government personnel, according to SOHR.

Security sources cited a lower death toll of 300, while another monitoring group, the Syrian Network for Human Rights, reported 169 civilian deaths.

Although a ceasefire was announced Wednesday night, fighting continued in some areas. Residents described scenes of looting, burned homes, and bodies in the streets.

The Syrian government had deployed Islamist-led forces to Suweida on Monday to quell the unrest, but the intervention further fractured the Druze community. While some factions support Syria’s interim Islamist-led government, others, including followers of Druze leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri, have resisted and sought support from Israel.

On Wednesday, Israeli air strikes targeted Syria’s Ministry of Defence and areas near the presidential palace in Damascus. In response, interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa accused Israel of destabilising the country and pledged to defend national unity.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed his military’s involvement, vowing to prevent Syrian army forces from establishing a presence south of Damascus and pledging to protect the Druze population.

Addressing the Druze community, Al-Sharaa said the government prioritises their rights and warned against foreign attempts to sow division.

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