Tensions Flare Again in Sweida Amid Clashes and Israeli Airstrikes
Hundreds dead as ceasefire collapses in southern Syria, prompting UN calls for investigation
Syria, PUREWILAYAH.COM - Tensions have reignited in southern Syria just hours after a ceasefire was announced in the Sweida Governorate.
According to field sources, clashes resumed between armed Bedouin tribal fighters and Druze factions across western Sweida countryside.
The most intense confrontations reportedly took place near the Mashnaqah roundabout in Sweida city, with fighting also centered around the towns of al-Marzah, Kanaker, and Khalkhalah.
Medium weapons and rocket-propelled grenades were used in the fighting. Reports indicate that Bedouin tribes took control of the al-Ankoud roundabout and entered Sweida city.
Israeli Strikes Accompany Escalating Ground Conflict
Simultaneously, Israeli warplanes launched an airstrike on Lahtha village near Sweida, reportedly targeting positions affiliated with Bedouin tribes allied with Syrian security forces.
Multiple additional Israeli air raids struck convoys of tribal fighters in the central city of Homs.
According to medical and local sources, the death toll from the days-long clashes has risen to around 600, including at least 275 fighters from Syrian security forces and allied militias.
Syrian Interim Government Blames ‘Outlawed Forces’
The Syrian Transitional Presidency accused "outlawed forces" of violating the ceasefire understandings in Sweida.
In an official statement, the presidency described the subsequent actions as a "clear violation of the truce", accusing those forces of committing acts that completely contradicted the terms of mediation and directly threatened civil peace, pushing the region toward chaos and security collapse.
Meanwhile, Zionist air raids have been accompanied by daily ground incursions into various parts of Syrian territory.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported a sudden Israeli ground incursion into Qalaat Jandal, a majority-Druze town in Damascus countryside, approximately 35 km from the capital. Local sources also reported that Israeli forces reached the town of Qatana, just 10 km from Damascus.
UN Calls for Immediate Investigation into Sweida Violence
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has called for an urgent investigation into the violent events in southern Syria, which have left around 600 people dead.
Türk emphasized the need to end the bloodshed and make the protection of civilians an absolute priority. He called for independent, prompt, and transparent investigations into all acts of violence, and for those responsible to be held accountable.
He warned that taking immediate steps to prevent further violence was vital, stressing that revenge and retaliation are not the solution.
According to Türk’s statement, based on credible reports, widespread violations were committed—including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary executions, kidnappings, destruction of private property, and looting of homes.
The statement also identified the likely perpetrators as members of the security forces, individuals linked to the transitional authorities, and various armed actors from the region, including Druze and Bedouins.
The violence has caused mass displacement, with hundreds fleeing their homes in villages and towns across the Sweida Governorate.
The UN remarks came after Syrian government forces withdrew from Sweida following days of fierce clashes. In response, Syrian tribal groups declared a general mobilization, vowing retaliation for the Bedouins who were reportedly among the targeted fighters. (PW)
Source: Al-Manar