Renewed Violence in Southern Syria: Druze-Bedouin Clashes Claim Over 30 Lives

Clashes between Sunni Bedouin tribes and Druze militias in southern Syria have resulted in at least 30 fatalities, escalating fears of widening unrest amid ongoing sectarian violence.

At least 30 individuals have lost their lives due to armed confrontations between Sunni Bedouin tribal factions and Druze militias in southern Syria, according to the Syrian interior ministry. The clashes erupted in the largely Druze city of Suweida on Sunday, just two days following the reported abduction of a Druze merchant on the highway to Damascus. The interior ministry has labeled the situation as a "dangerous escalation" and noted that security forces are being deployed to restore calm.

This latest outbreak of violence is part of a disturbing pattern of sectarian conflicts in Syria, which have intensified since Islamist-led rebel forces ousted President Bashar al-Assad in December. Various minority communities, including the Druze, which represent an offshoot of Shia Islam with unique doctrines, are increasingly apprehensive about the pledges made by new authorities to ensure their safety.

The armed confrontation began in the al-Maqwas neighborhood of Suweida, predominantly inhabited by Bedouins, which was eventually encircled and overtaken by armed Druze fighters. Fighting quickly spread to other regions of Suweida province, leading to retaliatory attacks by Bedouin tribes on Druze towns and villages. Reports indicate that towns such as Sumay and Mazraah were subjected to shelling, prompting residents in the village of Tayrah to flee as armed groups encroached upon their outskirts and set several homes ablaze.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based monitoring organization, reported 37 deaths, including 27 Druze members—among them two children—and 10 Bedouins. In response to this alarming escalation, the interior ministry indicated that the chaos is exacerbating due to the absence of official institutions capable of restoring order and maintaining public safety.

Suweida's governor, Mustapha al-Bakur, called for self-restraint among constituents while urging them to heed national reform calls. Similarly, several spiritual leaders within the Druze community have made appeals for de-escalation.

Later developments in the situation saw local news outlet Suwayda 24 report that mediation efforts between Druze and Bedouin leaders had secured the release of individuals kidnapped by both factions during the violence. However, alarmingly, fighting resumed in the western countryside of Suweida as drone attacks targeted villages while government forces mobilized in Deraa province. Previous clashes in May had resulted in over 130 fatalities involving Druze gunmen, security personnel, and supporting Sunni Islamist fighters, underscoring the fragile and volatile nature of the region's security landscape.