Calm Returns to Syria’s Sweida After Tribal Fighters Withdraw
Residents in the Syrian city of Sweida reported a return to calm on Sunday after tribal fighters withdrew from the area. The city, predominantly inhabited by the Druze community, had been engulfed in clashes between Bedouin and Druze fighters over the past week.
“There was no sound of gunfire this morning,” said a resident speaking from the outskirts of Sweida. A Druze source in the region also confirmed that calm had been restored in most areas.
Kenan Azzam, a local dentist, described the situation as “a tense calm.” He said, “Residents are still struggling with a lack of water and electricity. The hospitals are a disaster and out of service, and there are still so many dead and wounded.”
The clashes began a week ago, prompting government forces to intervene in an attempt to quell the fighting. Accusations arose that the troops committed violations against the Druze community. Reports also indicate that the government forces were hit by Israeli strikes before withdrawing under a truce agreed upon on Wednesday.
A new ceasefire was announced early on Saturday by the Syrian presidency, but it quickly collapsed into renewed fighting. The continued unrest highlights the challenges faced in restoring stability and asserting authority over the nation’s fractured communities.
