Hope of a new era for Syria shattered as sectarian conflict continues in southern city of Sweida
In this whirl of shrapnel and shelling, hopes for a new era of peace in a nation long torn apart by dictatorship and a 14-year civil war are quickly fading. Instead, Syria appears on the brink of being dragged into yet another civil and international conflict.
'Eighty per cent of the population are now refugees in the surrounding villages. It's a disaster,' said Samer, (not his real name) a Druze journalist who spent years clandestinely reporting from Sweida during Syria's bloody civil war.
Samer spoke to The Independent from a partially functioning hospital in Sweida, where he said hundreds of the injured and dead were taken.
He asked to remain anonymous for fear of his life.
Samer described how bloody battles have raged between Syria's Druze fighters and local Bedouin armed factions. Damascus sent troops to quell the fighting, but they were drawn into the violence and accused of widespread violations against the Druze. The Independent has repeatedly reached out to multiple branches of the new government for comment and has yet to receive a reply.
The authorities keep making the wrong choices
Residents of the area claimed that Druze citizens had been shot at close range in their homes or in the streets by troops who appear to be government forces – videos shared online show people in military fatigues shooting men on their knees.
In one video, which fact-checking website Verify Syria said it has verified, a group of men in fatigues forced three men to jump off a balcony of a multi-storey building as they are shot.
The death toll is still climbing.
Outside of combatant deaths in battle, the Syrian Network for Human Rights said more than 320 people have been killed in summary executions, other forms of violence, and Israeli strikes. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, another monitoring group, has reported a total death toll of at least 940 people.
The UN says at least 87,000 people have been displaced within Sweida governorate and towards neighbouring Daraa. Much-needed humanitarian and medical aid is unable to enter the region due to ongoing clashes.
ADVERTISEMENT
The surge in violence underlines the challenges facing interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa. He has struggled to assert control over the south and areas near the Israeli border.
While Mr Sharaa has been buoyed by rapidly improving ties with global powers, the violence has highlighted lingering sectarian tensions and widespread distrust among minority groups towards his Islamist-led government.
'Instead of pursuing an inclusive, reconciliatory approach to reintegrate Sweida into the Syrian state … the authorities keep making the wrong choices,' said Armenak Tokmajyan, non-resident scholar at the Carnegie Middle East Centre.
He said that, while there had been rounds of dialogue with powerful Druze leaders, the discussions were largely focused on disarming them.
'Despite divisions within the Druze community, most … were unwilling to hand over their weapons without clarity on the future shape of the state. Then came the recent escalation, which I think could have been averted had the authorities exercised self-restraint and not immediately resorted to violence.'
We want to live as citizens, without fear of others. That's it
Amid this chaos, Israel has entered the fray.
'The Israelis took all the weapons from the people,' says Ahmed Hassoun, head of the municipality of Hader, a Druze town less than 5km from the border with Israeli-occupied Golan.
'Most days they are here. It's become a fact for us. We can do nothing. Their forces are coming in and out. We are helpless. We are just civilians. What can we do with this reality?'
In Sweida, Samer said that Israel's claims that it has come to the 'rescue' of the Druze has only stoked pre-existing sectarian tensions that have simmered and flared throughout the 14-year civil war. 'Just a few months after liberation, Israel has mixed the cards in the south,' he added.
On Friday, an Israeli official said it had agreed to allow Syrian forces limited access to the Sweida area for two days. But many fear that this is just temporary and that Israel is trying to leverage internal domestic turmoil in Syria to keep it weak.
In Sweida, where a tentative ceasefire is fast collapsing, the biggest fear is yet more massacres.
'There is a ceasefire in place, but five minutes ago government forces attacked one area by drones,' says Samer, with desperation. 'The Druze people just want safety. They don't want to be afraid of other factions and sects. They don't want to separate from the rest of Syria. We want to live as citizens, without fear of others. That's it.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
26 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
Letters: War in Gaza is existential for Israel, we should have more nuanced discussion
The editorial and one letter gave credence to Dr Nick Maynard who is on record as stating that, despite extensive evidence to the contrary, he has never seen Hamas operating in his hospital. He has accused the IDF of playing a game whereby it shoots different parts of kids' bodies on different days. How likely is that? One of the first questions we all should ask when listening to evidence is 'cui bono?' or who benefits? In 2014, Hamas released a video instructing journalists and witnesses how to report on events in Gaza. It states 'anyone killed or martyred is to be called a civilian from Gaza or Palestine... Don't forget to always add 'innocent civilian' or 'innocent citizen' in your description of those killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza' In his letter, the usually balanced Rob Sadlier sees similarities between Sarajevo and Gaza. Important differences are that Serbs, unlike Israel, were not attacked. Indeed Israel forcibly removed its settlers from Gaza in 2005; residents of Sarajevo were not holding Serbian hostages; the Serbian armed forces (and the Nato bombing response) did not warn civilians to evacuate areas where bombings were planned. Every Gazan non-combatant killed is a tragedy, but to compare fighting against Hamas with the random bombing of Sarajevo is unfair. I am a long-term supporter of reconciliation and a two-state solution to this issue. I know that conscript armies commit atrocities in war and I am appalled by the statements of Israeli extremists. Since October 7, I have seen a large increase in international references to Éamon De Valera's letter on the death of Adolf Hitler. This issue is harmful for Ireland and I hope we can have a more nuanced discussion that does not feed accusations of antisemitism but also understands that for Israel, this is existential. Frank Devine, Kenilworth, England The Holocaust's lessons are being forgotten and hatred is rising once again The lessons of the Holocaust are searingly relevant today. It is dispiriting that 80 years after the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, hatred and intolerance still lurk in the human heart. Language is used to dehumanise, demoralise and demonise others. People in Gaza are neither alive, nor dead. They are walking skeletons. The heart-wrenching images of children becoming wretched, destitute, with little more than skin covering their bones, should shame the world that prides itself on championing human rights and dignities. We must be fearless in resisting violence. We must never rest in seeking to create a fairer and peaceful world for all without exception. Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob, London Slaughter of innocents in Gaza shames all of us who watch on and fail to act Nothing disgusts me more than seeing the absolute slaughter of men, women and children in Gaza. Since the Israeli invasion, tens of thousands of people have been killed, 17,000 of them innocent children. Food trucks are only allowed in periodically, and the starving and besieged people are subjected to gunfire as they race to obtain sustenance in order to feed themselves. Recent reports suggest that many young boys appear to have been used as target practice. This is horrendous. As babies appear every night on our television screens looking like skeletons with a haunting look of death and despair on their faces, it should move the coldest of hearts in world leadership roles into action to alleviate their suffering instantly. But no, they talk and talk, but do not intervene in this total barbarism. The people of Palestine are ordinary human beings and as such should be protected by human rights law. Anything else is a dereliction of duty by their fellow human beings. Tom Towey, Cloonacool, Co Sligo President of Uruguay set an incredible example of selflessness and charity I would ike to pay tribute to a president who died a few months ago. President José Mujica of Uruguay held office from 2010 to 2015 and was described as the world's poorest president. He shunned the presidential palace and remained at home on his farm driving his tractor and his beloved Volkswagen Beetle. He shared his salary with the poor. He believed his lifestyle was normal and not exceptional. In his earlier life he opposed the democratically elected government as he firmly believed it was corrupt, clandestine, up to its eyes in backhanders and ultimately authoritarian. For his sins, he was arrested, banged up, shot six times but miraculously lived and was ultimately elected president. Noel Mannion, Clonbur, Co Galway We could secure energy needs for decades – but private profit trumps all I have been trying to avoid the news cycle while on holidays here in Donegal. However, a couple of stories did manage to catch my attention. Firstly the Oireachtas hearings on offshore renewable energy development and government subsidies for improving port infrastructure to facilitate it. Secondly, the upgrades to our national grid, which are to be paid for by a levy on energy consumers. If the Government invested around €10bn in a single, large, publicly owned offshore wind project, then profits from this could be used to upgrade both the grid and our ports. Belfast Port could be used in the interim. Furthermore, this would help secure our energy needs for decades to come and, once the initial investment is recouped, profits could be pumped into a sovereign wealth fund (as the Norwegians do with revenues). But, alas, there are no plans for anything like this. It does not even seem to form part of the discussion. No, just taxpayers' money being used to upgrade ports for the benefit of (oftentimes foreign) private corporations which will, in turn, exploit our natural energy resources. Paddy Sharkey, Kilcar, Co Donegal RTÉ should show due respect to counties in the camogie championship On Saturday evening I listened to the RTÉ Radio news and sport bulletin at 10pm. The lead sports item covered was the transfer of a player to Arsenal football club in Britain. Down the pecking order was a brief report on the Camogie All-Ireland semi finals played in Nowlan Park in Kilkenny. The O'Duffy Cup is the women's equivalent of the Liam MacCarthy Cup and should have been treated as such. Tom Cooper, Templeogue, Dublin
Irish Independent
26 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
‘They don't want to end this war' – Israeli soldiers turning their backs on Benjamin Netanyahu
Just a few millimetres difference and he would have been killed, like six of his comrades were when they walked into a house in southern Lebanon last October, believing − wrongly − that it had already been checked for terrorists. 'It was a really horrible day,' the 26-year-old said. 'They opened the door, and behind the door were two Hezbollah fighters who immediately started firing with their rifles. Four soldiers died immediately.' Mr Fiener, a captain in Israel's 933rd Nahal Brigade, acquitted himself well, picking himself up and dragging wounded colleagues to safety as the battle raged for five hours. It was his destiny, having dreamt of becoming − like his father − an infantry officer for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) since he was a child. It is a role which carries elite status in Israel and has been the foundation stone for many a stellar business or political career. But he now chooses a different path. He is refusing to report for another stint of reserve duty and a potential deployment to Gaza, in disgust at the ongoing war that has killed more than 59,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. 'When the bombing of Gaza started again, it became clear to me that our government wants to make this war as long as they can − they don't want to end it. I knew then I can't go back to serving in this war,' he said. Sentenced to 25 days in jail by Israel for refusing to serve, Mr Fiener is believed to be part of a growing wave of young Israeli reservists who feel they can no longer participate in their country's war in Gaza. The majority are not showing up to call-ups, either 'forgetting' to check their emails or pleading medical or family emergencies. Mr Fiener believes the images of starving children inside Gaza will mean fewer soldiers will turn up. Immense pressure has been building on Israel over the dire humanitarian conditions inside the strip, with aid agencies warning of mass malnutrition and widespread hunger. Mr Fiener's opinion on the futility of the conflict appears to be shared by a rising number of serving and retired senior officers who are turning against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war. General Assaf Orion, the former head of strategic planning at the IDF, said while there were clear strategic goals in the Israel campaigns against Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon, there was no longer any clear military imperative for the continuation of military operations in Gaza. It has nothing to do with Hamas and everything to do with Netanyahu 'In Gaza, I suspect that the strategic train of ends, ways and means was kidnapped by ulterior motives,' he said. 'I think the main reason for a prolonged war in Gaza is political expediency.' Eran Etzion, a former deputy head of Israel's national security council, was even blunter. He said: 'By now it has long been clear to most Israelis that the main reason the Gaza campaign lingers on is because of Netanyahu's political, personal and judicial interests, and he needs the war to go on in order to sustain and even enhance his grip on power.' Many believe Mr Netanyahu fears his government will collapse if the war ended as ultra-nationalist parties in his coalition would abandon him. 'That's the main reason. It has nothing to do with Hamas and everything to do with Netanyahu,' Mr Etzion added. Many believe Mr Netanyahu fears his government will collapse if the war ended as ultra-nationalist parties in his coalition would abandon him. If even some of the spate of leaks from Israel's security cabinet are to be believed, the scepticism is not confined to retired generals. Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, the IDF's chief of staff, is said to have argued there is little more to be gained by continuing the campaign − particularly without risking the lives of the about 20 remaining living hostages. Although degraded into a series of, in effect, independent guerrilla units, Hamas continues to fight amid the rubble, sending a stream of IDF body bags back to Israel. Mr Netanyahu insists Hamas must not just be broken as a military and governing force, but eradicated entirely, arguing at the same time that the best way to secure a hostage deal is to fight even harder. Israel's negotiating team returned home from Doha empty-handed this weekend, amid widespread pessimism that a deal will be agreed any time soon. Israel's reputation on the international stage is in crisis, with traditional allies such as the UK, France, Canada and Australia queuing up to condemn the escalating reports of starvation. Professional servants of democratically elected leaders, such as Lt Gen Zamir and those under him, are caught in the middle. This was perhaps best demonstrated this month by his opposition to a scheme of Israel Katz, the defence minister, to order the entire civilian population of Gaza into a so-called 'humanitarian city' built on the ruins of the southern city of Rafah. The military chief was reportedly anxious to protect his officers from potential complicity in a war crime, amid outrage that the zone – described by former prime minister Ehud Olmert as resembling a 'concentration camp' – could be a precursor to forced population transfer. It would also put his troops, who would ultimately police the perimeter and facilitate the entry of aid, under significant practical pressure. The military was further worried that Hamas would interpret the humanitarian city as a signal that Israel wanted to restart fighting after the proposed initial 60-day ceasefire, thus threatening a potential deal. The IDF leadership earned the ire of Mr Netanyahu by reporting the project could take a year and cost $4bn (€3.4bn). While the Israeli prime minister demanded a 'shorter, cheaper, more practical' plan, it is not clear whether the initiative will ever take place. The scheme may have been too much for senior generals, who are already deeply unhappy about the position their troops have been placed in under the new US-backed aid system. The UN accuses the IDF of killing more than 1,000 civilians near the new aid distribution sites in Gaza. According to multiple videos and witness testimony, crowd flow in and near these sites is extremely poor, and Israeli soldiers, who provide an outer ring of security for the American contractors, open fire if Palestinians come too close. The IDF has now captured 75pc of the Gaza Strip − the goal when it began Operation Gideon's Chariot, which started in May. Last week, it pushed into the town of Deir Al-Balah, the first time it is thought troops have deliberately sought to seize an area where intelligence indicated a high likelihood hostages are being held. The Gaza war is a long way past its culmination point Mr Netanyahu and his allies argue that leaving even remnants of Hamas intact in the strip would eventually precipitate another October 7-style massacre. They have so far rejected Arab proposals for an interim government to administer the enclave in the event of a permanent ceasefire. Gen Orion said: 'The Gaza war is a long way past its culmination point. 'Every military operation, like many human endeavours, has the rule of diminishing returns. 'At some point, great successes meet growing resistance and lose their efficiency. The costs rise and the benefits are lower. In Gaza, we are way past that point.' Although the true figures are closely guarded, some campaign groups and politicians believe the rate of attendance could be as low as 60pc. The majority are so-called 'grey refusals', who are people who plead medical problems, family issues or who simply go abroad during the call-up window and 'forget' to check their emails. Refusals on explicit political grounds are rarer but increasing, reflected in the growing number of public letters signed by reservists denouncing Mr Netanyahu's conduct of the war, and subsequent reprimands and dismissals. Accounts have emerged of officers frantically reaching out to reservists on social media, begging them to turn up, because their ranks are so depleted. At the same time, the acrimonious issue of Haredi conscription rumbles on, with Mr Netanyahu expected to give in on promises to force ultra-orthodox Jewish young men to turn up for military service. Mr Fiener's jail sentence was considered a relatively harsh penalty for refusal, given the maximum is 30 days. But he only served one night, as the prison was largely evacuated when Iran started firing ballistic missiles at Israel in June. Waiting to see if he will be recalled to jail, he believes the pictures and videos of what is happening in Gaza will further decrease the rate of call-up response. 'There are always a lot of people who are not sure if they are willing to go and every little thing can affect them,' he said.
Sunday World
9 hours ago
- Sunday World
Terror suspect Samantha Lewthwaite becomes mum-of-six with Islamic militant warlord
The 41-year-old was previously married to 7/7 London bomber Germaine Lindsay – who blew himself up on a London Underground train in July 2005 Samantha Lewthwaite, widely known as the 'White Widow,' is reportedly living in Somalia as the wife of a senior militant leader, according to MailOnline. Now believed to be in a polygamous marriage with Islamist commander Osman Abdullahi Dhaga'ade and his two other spouses, the Banbridge-born woman has reportedly given birth to two additional children, while evading capture as one of the world's most sought-after terror suspects. The 41-year-old was previously married to 7/7 London bomber Germaine Lindsay – who blew himself up on a London Underground train in July 2005 – and is thought to have had four children from two earlier marriages linked to extremist circles. Lewthwaite is accused of being involved in numerous terror attacks in Kenya, where she lived for a time after leaving the UK, and has been linked to as many as 400 deaths, also appearing on Interpol's 'most wanted' list. Sources reportedly told MailOnline the fugitive was last seen on July 8 in the southern city of Jilib – the de facto capital of the Islamic Emirate of Somalia, controlled by al-Shabaab. It's claimed Lewthwaite had also been spotted recently in other areas in the south with the family regularly switching locations for security reasons while protected by an elite squad of heavily armed bodyguards. Somali intelligence allegedly revealed that 'in 2023, she tried to leave Somalia to go to Yemen or Kenya, but al-Shabaab failed to find her a safe route, so had to stay in Somalia'. "The British woman helps recruit foreign fighters, especially women. She gets protection from her husband as he is high up in al-Shabaab. She speaks Somali and Arabic.' An al-Shabaab source said Lewthwaite was 'highly regarded and respected' within the terror group. Samantha Lewthwaite He also told MailOnline: 'She lives in several houses located in different areas. She does not move during the day but only at night and is highly protected by heavily armed elite Amniyat close protection security guards, which also includes women guards. 'The white woman also always carries a pistol and sometimes a rifle for her protection. ''She does not stay in one location for long with her husband; they move around a lot." Lewthwaite was born and spent much of her childhood in Banbridge, before moving to Aylesbury and later converting to Islam. In Kenya, she is alleged to have posed as a Northern Irish charity worker to conceal her identity. She was reportedly using Italian documents and claimed she was working for a charity called Friends of Africa, based in Newry. The charity confirmed it had no knowledge of such a person. Her story is now being turned to film, with Lewthwaite set to be portrayed by Game of Thrones and The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey. Samantha Lewthwaite Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 27th
