Latest news with #Bedouins
Los Angeles Times
20 minutes ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
News Analysis: Syria's sectarian clashes, Israeli airstrikes and a wary peace: What to know
BEIRUT — More than a week of sectarian bloodshed in Syria has given way to a wary truce, pausing a fight that drew Israel into an unprecedented confrontation with Syria's new authorities while raising fresh questions on whether those leaders can steer the country past the fractures of its 14-year civil war. The fighting in Sweida, the southern province bordering Jordan and near Israel, began last week between militiamen from the Druze religious minority and Sunni Muslim tribes. It soon embroiled Syrian government forces and Israel in a chaotic battlefield that saw hundreds killed — some in sectarian-fueled revenge attacks — and more than 128,000 people displaced before a U.S.-backed ceasefire was announced Sunday. The violence underscores the challenges facing the government of President Ahmad al-Sharaa, a rebel-turned-politician whose armed faction spearheaded the ouster of Syrian dictator Bashar Assad in December. Since then, Al-Sharaa's Islamist-dominated government has struggled to win the trust of minority communities in the country and failed to persuade militias formed during the civil war to disarm or fall under Damascus' authority. Here's a breakdown of what's happening in Sweida and why many believe it could derail Syria's delicate postwar recovery. Before the fighting erupted July 13, tensions were already high after a spate of kidnappings and robberies between Druze communities in Sweida and nearby Bedouin tribes. As the unrest grew into open conflict involving Druze militias and armed Bedouins, the government dispatched its forces to stop the fighting. But some Druze leaders said the government aided the Bedouins instead; they also accused government-aligned security personnel of committing sectarian-motivated rampages, looting and executions against Druze civilians. Druze militias launched a counterattack and retaliated with a wave of killings and kidnappings against Bedouin fighters and civilians. Israel entered the fray with an airstrike campaign targeting Syria's security forces and tanks, as well as the army headquarters and the presidential palace in Damascus, the capital. The violence left roughly 1,260 dead, most of them Druze fighters and civilians, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group based in Britain. It also said government forces carried out summary executions. Included in the death toll are hundreds of state security personnel. The Druze, who make up roughly 3% of Syria's population, are members of a syncretic religion that emerged in the 11th century as an offshoot of Shiite Islam. There are roughly 1 million Druze worldwide, more than half of them in Syria, and most of the rest in Lebanon, Israel and the Golan Heights, which Israel has illegally occupied — according to international law — since 1967. During the civil war, the Druze were largely unwilling to ally with Assad but were wary of the opposition, which was dominated by hard-line Sunni Islamist groups, some of whom viewed Druze as infidels. The Druze formed militias for protection. When Assad fell, many Druze celebrated. But some spiritual and militia leaders — like other minority communities across the country — remained suspicious of Al-Sharaa and his Islamist past, which once included affiliation with the terrorist network Al Qaeda. They resisted his calls to disarm and insisted they would cede power only to a representative government. Waves of sectarian attacks have only reinforced their suspicions of Al-Sharaa: In March, government-linked factions massacred about 1,500 people, mostly from the Alawite sect, and in May, clashes in Druze-majority areas near the capital left 39 people dead. Israel has entrenched itself in the neighboring country since Assad's fall, with warplanes launching a wide-scale attack to destroy the Syrian army's arsenal even as Israeli tanks and troops blitzed into Syria and commandeered villages near the border. Since then, it has consolidated its presence and operated ever deeper in Syrian territory, justifying the moves as necessary for its security and to stop armed groups, government-aligned or otherwise, from launching attacks on Israel from Syrian territory. Israel has also imposed what is in effect a demilitarized zone over southern Syria, including Sweida, preventing the Syrian army from establishing its authority over the region. Critics say Israel is engaging in a land grab aimed at keeping Syria a weak and fragmented neighbor. Another reason for Israel's intervention is its own Druze population, a vocal minority of about 145,000 people, some of whom serve in the Israeli military. Over the last few months, Israeli troops have offered assistance to Syrian Druze communities. And when the Sweida fighting began, Israeli Druze citizens demonstrated near the border, calling on the Israeli military to protect their fellow Druze in Syria. Despite those overtures, many Syrian Druze fear Israel's growing presence in their areas and have sought a diplomatic resolution to their differences with the Syrian government. Others, such as Hikmat al-Hijri, an influential Druze spiritual leader opposed to Al-Sharaa, have repeatedly called for foreign protection. Hours after the ceasefire took effect late Sunday, the Syrian government evacuated about 1,500 Bedouin family members trapped in Sweida city. Druze civilians were to be evacuated at a later time. Other phases of the truce will see the release of detained Bedouin fighters and the bodies of Bedouins killed in the fighting. The U.S. was involved in brokering the ceasefire. More generally, Trump administration officials have thrown their support behind Al-Sharaa, lifting years-old sanctions that had all but choked the country's economy and shepherding diplomatic contacts with Israel. Speaking to reporters Monday in Beirut, the Lebanese capital, U.S. envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said Syrian authorities needed to be held accountable for violations but 'they also need to be given the responsibility that' is theirs. Earlier, in an interview with the Associated Press, he deplored the killings but said the Syrian government was acting 'as best [it] can as a nascent government with very few resources to address the multiplicity of issues that arise in trying to bring a diverse society together.' He also suggested Israel wasn't interested in seeing a strong Syria. 'Strong nation-states are a threat. Especially, Arab states are viewed as a threat to Israel,' he said. But in Syria, he said, 'I think all of the the minority communities are smart enough to say, 'We're better off together, centralized.''
West Australian
22 minutes ago
- Politics
- West Australian
Bedouin civilians leave Sweida as Syria truce holds
Hundreds of Bedouin civilians have left Syria's predominantly Druze city of Sweida as part of a US-backed truce meant to end days of bloodshed in southern Syria, state media and witnesses say. With hundreds reported killed, the violence in the southern province of Sweida has posed a major test for interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, drawing Israeli air strikes last week and deepening fissures in a country fractured by 14 years of war. A ceasefire took hold on Sunday as interior ministry security forces deployed on Sweida's outskirts. Interior Minister Anas Khattab said on Sunday the truce would allow for the release of hostages and detainees held by the sides. The fighting began a week ago, pitting Druze fighters who distrust the jihadist-led government against Sunni Muslim Bedouin. Syria's central government sent troops to quell the fighting but they were drawn into the violence and accused of widespread violations against Druze. Sharaa has blamed the violence on "outlaw groups" and promised to protect the rights of Druze - a minority group whose faith is deemed heretical by some hardline Muslims. Calling the Druze a fundamental part of Syria's fabric, Sharaa has vowed to hold to account those who committed violations against them. Details of last week's violence are still emerging. Ali al-Huraym, a 56-year-old Bedouin man, said six members of his extended family had been killed by Druze fighters in an attack on the town of Shahba, 15km north of Sweida, on Thursday. Speaking to Reuters at a school sheltering displaced Bedouin in Daraa province, he said Druze elders had assured them they would be safe in Shahba but the attacking Druze faction had ignored their instructions. He accused the Druze faction of trying to drive Sunni tribes from the area. Salem al-Mahdi, 60, another Bedouin displaced from Shahba with his family, told Reuters he saw six bodies in one home there and the town had been hit with weapons including mortars. Speaking to Reuters by phone, Luna Albassit, a Druze activist in Shahba, said the situation after so much bloodshed remained tense despite the end to clashes. "People were killed in the streets, in their homes, they were humiliated and it was in the name of the state," she said, referring to attacks by government-aligned forces. Reuters could not independently verify the accounts. On Monday morning, ambulances, trucks and buses ferried hundreds of Bedouin civilians including women, children and wounded people out of Sweida to nearby displacement camps, Reuters footage showed. The initial batch included about 300 Bedouins, and a second group of about 550 civilians will be relocated within the next 24 hours if the situation remains calm, said Shoaib Asfour, a member of the Syrian security forces overseeing the process. The next phase would involve the relocation of Bedouin fighters detained by Druze militias and the transfer of bodies of Bedouins killed in the fighting, Asfour said. Syria's state news agency said a total of 1500 Bedouins would leave Sweida city. Citing Ahmed al-Dalati, head of Syria's internal security forces in Sweida, state media said those forces would also facilitate the return to Sweida of others displaced from it. According to the United Nations, at least 93,000 people have been uprooted by the fighting.
Perth Now
22 minutes ago
- Politics
- Perth Now
Bedouin civilians leave Sweida as Syria truce holds
Hundreds of Bedouin civilians have left Syria's predominantly Druze city of Sweida as part of a US-backed truce meant to end days of bloodshed in southern Syria, state media and witnesses say. With hundreds reported killed, the violence in the southern province of Sweida has posed a major test for interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, drawing Israeli air strikes last week and deepening fissures in a country fractured by 14 years of war. A ceasefire took hold on Sunday as interior ministry security forces deployed on Sweida's outskirts. Interior Minister Anas Khattab said on Sunday the truce would allow for the release of hostages and detainees held by the sides. The fighting began a week ago, pitting Druze fighters who distrust the jihadist-led government against Sunni Muslim Bedouin. Syria's central government sent troops to quell the fighting but they were drawn into the violence and accused of widespread violations against Druze. Sharaa has blamed the violence on "outlaw groups" and promised to protect the rights of Druze - a minority group whose faith is deemed heretical by some hardline Muslims. Calling the Druze a fundamental part of Syria's fabric, Sharaa has vowed to hold to account those who committed violations against them. Details of last week's violence are still emerging. Ali al-Huraym, a 56-year-old Bedouin man, said six members of his extended family had been killed by Druze fighters in an attack on the town of Shahba, 15km north of Sweida, on Thursday. Speaking to Reuters at a school sheltering displaced Bedouin in Daraa province, he said Druze elders had assured them they would be safe in Shahba but the attacking Druze faction had ignored their instructions. He accused the Druze faction of trying to drive Sunni tribes from the area. Salem al-Mahdi, 60, another Bedouin displaced from Shahba with his family, told Reuters he saw six bodies in one home there and the town had been hit with weapons including mortars. Speaking to Reuters by phone, Luna Albassit, a Druze activist in Shahba, said the situation after so much bloodshed remained tense despite the end to clashes. "People were killed in the streets, in their homes, they were humiliated and it was in the name of the state," she said, referring to attacks by government-aligned forces. Reuters could not independently verify the accounts. On Monday morning, ambulances, trucks and buses ferried hundreds of Bedouin civilians including women, children and wounded people out of Sweida to nearby displacement camps, Reuters footage showed. The initial batch included about 300 Bedouins, and a second group of about 550 civilians will be relocated within the next 24 hours if the situation remains calm, said Shoaib Asfour, a member of the Syrian security forces overseeing the process. The next phase would involve the relocation of Bedouin fighters detained by Druze militias and the transfer of bodies of Bedouins killed in the fighting, Asfour said. Syria's state news agency said a total of 1500 Bedouins would leave Sweida city. Citing Ahmed al-Dalati, head of Syria's internal security forces in Sweida, state media said those forces would also facilitate the return to Sweida of others displaced from it. According to the United Nations, at least 93,000 people have been uprooted by the fighting.
Al Jazeera
5 hours ago
- General
- Al Jazeera
Syria evacuates Bedouins from Suwayda after sectarian fighting
Syria evacuates Bedouins from Suwayda after sectarian fighting NewsFeed Dozens of Bedouin families are being evacuated from the Druze-majority city of Suwayda in southern Syria, where a fragile ceasefire is holding after a week of deadly clashes between the factions. Video Duration 01 minutes 18 seconds 01:18 Video Duration 02 minutes 24 seconds 02:24 Video Duration 00 minutes 58 seconds 00:58 Video Duration 01 minutes 01 seconds 01:01 Video Duration 00 minutes 36 seconds 00:36 Video Duration 01 minutes 06 seconds 01:06 Video Duration 00 minutes 46 seconds 00:46
6 hours ago
- Politics
US envoy doubles down on support for Syria's gov and criticizes Israel's intervention
BEIRUT -- A U.S. envoy doubled down on Washington's support for the new government in Syria, saying Monday there is 'no Plan B" to working with the current authorities to unite the country still reeling from a nearly 14-year civil war and now wracked by a new outbreak of sectarian violence. Tom Barrack took a critical tone toward Israel's recent intervention in Syria, calling it poorly timed and saying that it complicated efforts to stabilize the region. Barrack, who is ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria and also has a short-term mandate in Lebanon, made the comments in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press during a visit to Beirut. He spoke following more than a week of clashes in the southern province of Sweida between militias of the Druze religious minority and local Sunni Muslim Bedouin tribes. Syrian government forces intervened, ostensibly to restore order, but ended up siding with the Bedouins before withdrawing under a ceasefire agreement with Druze factions. Hundreds have been killed in the fighting, and some government fighters allegedly shot dead Druze civilians and burned and looted their houses. In the meantime, Israel intervened last week on behalf of the Druze, who are seen as a loyal minority within Israel and often serve in its military. Israel launched dozens of strikes on convoys of government forces in Sweida and also struck the Syrian Ministry of Defense headquarters in central Damascus. Over the weekend, Barrack announced a ceasefire between Syria and Israel, without giving details. Syrian government forces have redeployed in Sweida to halt renewed clashes between the Druze and Bedouins, and civilians from both sides were set to be evacuated Monday. Barrack told the AP that 'the killing, the revenge, the massacres on both sides' are 'intolerable,' but that 'the current government of Syria, in my opinion, has conducted themselves as best they can as a nascent government with very few resources to address the multiplicity of issues that arise in trying to bring a diverse society together.' At a later press conference he said the Syrian authorities 'need to be held accountable' for violations. Regarding Israel's strikes on Syria, Barrack said: 'The United States was not asked, nor did they participate in that decision, nor was it the United States responsibility in matters that Israel feels is for its own self-defense." However, he said that Israel's intervention "creates another very confusing chapter" and 'came at a very bad time." Prior to the conflict in Sweida, Israel and Syria had been engaging in talks over security matters, while the Trump administration had been pushing them to move toward a full normalization of diplomatic relations. When the latest fighting erupted, 'Israel's view was that south of Damascus was this questionable zone, so that whatever happened militarily in that zone needed to be agreed upon and discussed with them,' Barrack said. 'The new government (in Syria) coming in was not exactly of that belief.' The ceasefire announced Saturday between Syria and Israel is a limited agreement addressing only the conflict in Sweida, he said. It does not address the broader issues between the two countries, including Israel's contention that the area south of Damascus should be a demilitarized zone. In the discussions leading up to the ceasefire, Barrack said 'both sides did the best they can' to came to an agreement on specific questions related to the movement of Syrian forces and equipment from Damascus to Sweida. 'Whether you accept that Israel can intervene in a sovereign state is a different question,' he said. He suggested that Israel would prefer to see Syria fragmented and divided rather than a strong central state in control of the country. "Strong nation states are a threat — especially Arab states are viewed as a threat to Israel," he said. But in Syria, he said, 'I think all of the the minority communities are smart enough to say, we're better off together, centralized.' The violence in Sweida has deepened the distrust of minority religious and ethnic groups in Syria toward the new government in Damascus, led by Sunni Muslim former insurgents who unseated Syria's longtime autocratic ruler, Bashar Assad, in a lightning offensive in December. The attacks on Druze civilians followed the deaths of hundreds of civilians from the Alawite minority, to which Assad belongs, earlier this year in sectarian revenge attacks on the Syrian coast. While interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa has promised to protect minorities and punish those who target civilians, many feel his government has not done enough. At the same time, Damascus has been negotiating with the Kurdish forces that control much of northeast Syria to implement an agreement that would merge the U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces with the new national army. Barrack, who spoke to SDF leader Mazloum Abdi over the weekend, said he does not believe the violence in Sweida will derail those talks and that there could be a breakthrough 'in the coming weeks.' Neighboring Turkey, which wants to curtail the influence of Kurdish groups along its border and has tense relations with Israel, has offered to provide defense assistance to Syria. Barrack said the U.S. has 'no position' on the prospect of a defense pact between Syria and Turkey. 'It's not in the U.S.'s business or interest to tell any of the surrounding nations with each other what to do,' he said. Barrack's visit to Lebanon came amid ongoing domestic and international pressure for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah to give up its remaining arsenal after a bruising war with Israel that ended with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement in November. Speaking at a press conference in Beirut Monday, Barrack said the ceasefire agreement 'didn't work.' Israel has continued to launch near-daily airstrikes in Lebanon that it says are aimed at stopping Hezbollah from rebuilding its capabilities. Hezbollah has said it will not discuss disarming until Israel stops its strikes and withdraws its forces from all of southern Lebanon. While the U.S. has been pushing for Hezbollah's disarmament, Barrack described the matter as 'internal' to Lebanon. 'There's no consequence, there's no threat, there's no whip, we're here on a voluntary basis trying to usher in a solution," he said. He added that the U.S. 'can't compel Israel to do anything' when it comes to the ceasefire.
