Syrian Bedouins Allegedly Attacked by Druze Militias in Sweida

Druze anti-government militias have carried out 'massacres' against Bedouins in southern Syria's Sweida province following the withdrawal of government forces, according to state media. Sana said the groups attacked the al-Maqous neighbourhood in Sweida and committed 'massacres against women and children' as well as carrying out field executions. Unverified images circulated on social media appeared to show several dead bodies lying on the ground.

Government forces withdrew from Sweida on Thursday after days of violence between Druze, Bedouins, and troops loyal to President Ahmad al-Sharaa's administration, exacerbated by Israeli air strikes. According to the Syrian Observatory on Human Rights, over 500 people had been killed by the time of the withdrawal on Thursday.

The activist group counted 79 Druze fighters and 154 civilians from Sweida among the dead, including 83 people 'who were summarily executed by members of the defence and interior ministries'. It said 243 government personnel were also killed as well as 18 Bedouin fighters, in addition to three members of Bedouin tribes 'who were summarily executed by Druze fighters'.

Fifteen government personnel were also killed in air strikes launched by Israel, which claims it seeks to protect the Druze. The violence in Sweida began at the weekend after a Druze merchant was reportedly abducted on a highway to Damascus. Local news outlets reported that the abduction sparked a cycle of retaliatory kidnappings, escalating into full-scale armed confrontations across Sweida city and nearby villages.

The Druze of Sweida largely stayed out of Syria's 14-year civil war and the governorate saw protests over living conditions in the last few years of Bashar al-Assad's rule. Following his overthrow in December, many Druze have remained wary of the new government led by Sharaa, the former leader of an al-Qaeda affiliate that carried out sectarian attacks on the community during the war.

Though Sharaa has rejected his previous affiliation and attempted to rebuild ties, a number of groups in Sweida have actively opposed his government. Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, a Druze spiritual leader who has been critical of the new Syrian government, has been accused of leading the main armed anti-government groups in Sweida. He has called for the international community to intervene in Syria to prevent what he called a campaign of 'extermination' against Druze in the country.

Israel has also spent several days attacking Syria, citing defence of the Druze community. Powerful Israeli air strikes hit Damascus on Wednesday, targeting the Syrian defence ministry, military headquarters, and the vicinity of the presidential palace. The Israeli army said it was preparing for several days of fighting in Syria and would withdraw forces from the Gaza Strip and divert them northwards to protect the border.

The Druze is an ethno-religious community spread between Syria, Lebanon, and Israel. Traditionally, Druze in Syria and Lebanon have been critical of Israel. Israeli Druze, however, often serve in the military. In the Golan Heights, a strategic Syrian plateau occupied by Israel since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, Syrian Druze have largely rejected taking Israeli citizenship or serving in its military.