DAMASCUS, July 17: Syrian government forces largely withdrew from the southern province of Sweida on Thursday, following days of violent clashes with militias linked to the Druze minority. The withdrawal came after a U.S., Turkey, and Arab-mediated ceasefire aimed at ending the spiraling conflict between Druze armed factions and state forces. Under the agreement, Druze clerics and fighters will now oversee local security, according to Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa. Despite the ceasefire holding for now, tensions remain high. Reports indicate that some Druze militants have launched retaliatory attacks on Sunni Bedouin communities, displacing many families. Bedouin tribes had sided with the Syrian military during the clashes. Earlier fighting was triggered by mutual kidnappings and escalated into open violence, with government troops accused of looting, killing civilians, and humiliating Druze religious leaders.
Israel, which has a significant Druze population, intervened militarily, striking Syria’s Defense Ministry in Damascus. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes were meant to protect the Druze and vowed to keep southern Syria demilitarized. He credited Israeli pressure for helping bring about the ceasefire.
While the Syrian government claims the operation against Druze militias has ended, it’s unclear whether the ceasefire will last. A previous deal broke down when dismissed by top Druze cleric Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri.
Turkish officials confirmed that their foreign minister and intelligence chief coordinated with the U.S., Israel, and regional leaders like Lebanese Druze politician Walid Jumblatt to de-escalate the violence. vThe conflict has raised fears of rising sectarianism. Analysts warn that without inclusive, state-led negotiations, divisions between Druze and Sunni Bedouin communities may deepen. Syria’s fragmented military structure and lack of reforms have further complicated reconciliation.
The Druze, a religious sect with roots in Ismaili Shiite Islam, number around one million globally, with most residing in Syria. Others live in Lebanon and Israel, including in the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in 1967. Observers caution that unless broader sectarian integration is implemented within Syria’s institutions, fragile truces like this one may not hold. (AP)
