Tribal fighters clash with Druze near Suwayda city
On Friday, clashes broke out between Druze factions and Arab tribal fighters on the outskirts of Suwayda city, a local source told Shafaq News.
Fighting erupted on the city's western edge, where tribal gunmen and local Druze forces exchanged fire.
According to a statement by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), armed tribal fighters arriving from the Syrian Badia have gathered near the village of Barak, northeast of Suwayda, in preparation to join ongoing battles in and around the city.
SOHR confirmed casualties from the morning's fighting and noted that UN vehicles trying to reach Suwayda were blocked by residents in al-Hara and Nawa, leaving the convoy stranded in rural Daraa.
Since July 13, at least 638 people have been killed as a result of fighting, field executions, and Israeli airstrikes, the statement added.
Armed groups affiliated with Bedouin tribes launched coordinated attacks, reportedly spurred by online campaigns alleging that Druze factions executed civilians in Bedouin neighborhoods, according to sources quoted by Russia's Sputnik news agency.
However, those sources noted the videos circulating online were fabricated. They stressed that Druze factions had not targeted civilians, and that while some Bedouin families left Suwayda fearing reprisals, many remained unharmed under the protection of local forces.
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