Clashes resumed overnight between Druze armed groups and members of Bedouin clans in southern Syria, after government forces pulled out under a ceasefire agreement that halted several days of violence earlier this week, officials said.
The clashes first erupted on Sunday between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes before Syrian government forces intervened, siding with the Bedouins. The confrontation quickly escalated, killing hundreds over four days. Human rights groups and Druze leaders have accused government-affiliated fighters of executing civilians and looting Druze homes.
A spokesman for Syria’s Interior Ministry has denied reports that government forces are being redeployed to Sweida to quell the renewed fighting, the Syrian state news agency reported.
In a significant escalation, Israel launched airstrikes on Syrian military positions, including the Defense Ministry in Damascus, in what it described as a defense of the Druze minority. Israel’s Druze community is considered a loyal minority, with many serving in the Israeli military.
A ceasefire brokered by the United States, Turkey, and several Arab states was announced on Wednesday (July 16) which led to a temporary halt in hostilities and the withdrawal of government forces.
Under the agreement, Druze clerics and local factions were granted control over internal security in Sweida, according to Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa.
However, violence resumed overnight, with reports of Druze militias launching retaliatory attacks on Bedouin communities, triggering a wave of displacement. Syrian state media confirmed the renewed clashes and said government forces were also mobilizing themselves.
