Clashes continue in Syria’s Suweida province despite ceasefire announcement

New Delhi, Jul 20: Fighting continued in parts of Syria’s southern Suweida province on Saturday, even after a ceasefire was announced by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa. While Druze fighters reportedly drove out armed Bedouin groups from the provincial capital, clashes persisted in surrounding areas. Security forces had been deployed earlier in the week, but they were accused of participating in violence against the Druze community. Over the past week, nearly 900 people have been reported killed, with multiple sides accused of committing atrocities. Armed men were also seen looting and burning shops inside Suweida, despite the government’s claims that calm had returned to the city.

The ceasefire deal, brokered with US support and endorsed by Israel, included a halt to Israeli airstrikes in exchange for protections for the Druze minority.

Israel had launched strikes earlier in the week, targeting Syrian government forces in Damascus in response to escalating violence against Druze civilians. Israeli officials remain sceptical of the Syrian leadership’s promise to protect minorities. Government troops have since set up checkpoints across Suweida to stop further mobilisation, but tensions remain high.

The United Nations and international observers have reported credible evidence of war crimes, including arbitrary killings and summary executions. Sectarian tensions between the Druze and Bedouin communities in Suweida have existed for years but escalated sharply last week following the abduction of a Druze merchant near the highway to Damascus. The Druze, a minority religious group with followers in Syria, Israel, and Lebanon, have long distrusted the central government in Damascus. Their strained relationship with Syrian authorities deepened during the civil war, as they sought to maintain autonomy and avoid entanglement in the broader conflict. The United States, Israel, and human rights groups have called for an immediate end to the violence and urged all parties to commit to peace and protect civilians. However, uncertainty continues as incidents with reports of continuing gunfire are being reported, creating more fear amongst the residents.