Latest news with #Bedouintribes
LBCI
19 hours ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Syria defense minister announces ceasefire in Druze-majority Sweida
Syria's defense minister announced a ceasefire in the Druze-majority city of Sweida on Tuesday after government forces entered the city to end deadly clashes with Bedouin tribes. "To all units operating within the city of Sweida, we declare a complete ceasefire after an agreement with the city's notables and dignitaries," Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra posted on X. Clashes had erupted between government forces and Druze fighters after contradictory statements from Druze religious leaders, with most urging fighters to lay down their arms.
Al Jazeera
a day ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Syria announces ceasefire in Druze city of Suwayda after deadly clashes
Syria defence ministry has announced a ceasefire in the Druze-majority city of Suwayda, saying an agreement has been reached with the city's 'notables and dignitaries' after days of deadly clashes with Bedouin tribes. 'To all units operating within the city of Suwayda, we declare a complete ceasefire,' Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra posted on X on Tuesday, shortly after the ministry deployed government forces to halt the violence that killed dozens since Friday. A curfew was also imposed on the city following the violence which spread across the Suwayda governorate, killing at least 99 people, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor. The dead include 60 Druze, including four civilians, 18 Bedouin fighters, 14 security personnel and seven unidentified people in military uniforms, the monitor said. The Ministry of Defence reported 18 deaths among the armed forces. Bedouin and Druze factions have a longstanding feud in Suwayda, with violence occasionally erupting. Meanwhile, Israel launched air strikes on Suwayda on Tuesday after Syrian government forces entered the Druze city. Israel had vowed to protect Syria's Druze minority, which it sees as potential allies. The Druze spiritual leadership had earlier resisted any deployment of Syrian troops in the southern city, but then urged Druze fighters to lay down their arms and allow government forces in. On Tuesday afternoon, however, Druze political leadership changed course, with Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri, who has been strongly opposed to the new leadership in Damascus, saying that Syrian troops had breached any arrangements by continuing to fire on residents. 'We are being subject to a total war of extermination,' he said in a recorded video statement, calling on all Druze 'to confront this barbaric campaign with all means available'. Earlier on Tuesday, Syrian military columns were seen advancing towards Suwayda, with heavy artillery deployed nearby. The Defence Ministry later said they had entered the city, and urged people to 'stay home and report any movements of outlaw groups'. It was the first time government forces were deployed to Suwayda since the overthrow of longtime Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad in December and the formation of an interim government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The Druze religious sect is a minority group that originated as a 10th-century offshoot of a branch of Shia Islam. In Syria, the 700,000-strong community primarily resides in the southern Suwayda province and some suburbs of Damascus, mainly in Jaramana and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya to the south. Al Jazeera's Osama Bin Javaid, reporting from Deir Az Azor in Syria, said fighting in the city had been ongoing since Friday. 'It escalated and more than two dozen people were killed. The government sent its reinforcements and then there was an ambush of the government troops as well, where at least 18 soldiers we believe were either killed or wounded,' he said. Bin Javaid said the situation has been exacerbated by Israeli attacks on government positions in Syria. Israel, which has attempted to portray itself as a protector of the Druze in Syria and sees them as potential allies, bombed several Syrian tanks on Monday. 'There have been a number of attacks by Israel, and the Israelis have said that any movement of personnel or hardware in the south of Syria will continue to be monitored by the Israeli army and [they] will continue to attack them as well,' Bin Javaid said.
France 24
a day ago
- Politics
- France 24
Syrian government forces set to enter predominantly Druze city of Sweida
Syrian government forces will enter the majority Druze city of Sweida, the interior ministry said on Tuesday, in an effort to bring an end to deadly clashes with Bedouin tribes. Religious leaders from the Druze minority said in a statement they approved the entry of armed forces under the Damascus government, who were to impose a curfew on the southern city that has suffered two days of fighting which have killed around 100 people in the region. They also called on Druze factions to hand over their weapons.
Al Arabiya
a day ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Syrian govt forces enter Druze city of Sweida, impose curfew: Ministry
Syrian government forces will enter the majority Druze city of Sweida, the interior ministry said on Tuesday, in an effort to bring an end to deadly clashes with Bedouin tribes. Religious leaders from the Druze minority said in a statement they approved the entry of armed forces under the Damascus government, who were to impose a curfew on the southern city that has suffered two days of fighting which have killed around 100 people in the region. They also called on Druze factions to hand over their weapons.
LBCI
2 days ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Attacks on Syrian security forces sent to quell sectarian clashes leave 16 dead
Sixteen members of Syria's security forces have been killed in the predominantly Druze city of Sweida, the defense ministry said, after they deployed to quell deadly sectarian clashes that local media reported had resumed on Monday. Sunday's fighting between Druze militiamen and Bedouin tribal fighters was the first time that sectarian violence erupted inside the city of Sweida itself, following months of tensions in the broader province. In a statement to Reuters, the defense ministry said "outlawed groups," which it did not identify further, had attacked a number of its units at dawn. It said its forces responded to the attack and had pursued those groups that refused to halt hostilities and continued to target security forces.
