Syria evacuates Bedouins from clashes-hit Suwayda as shaky ceasefire holds

Bedouin families permission Druze-majority metropolis aft truce successful the confederate state halts bloody clashes betwixt the communities.

The Syrian authorities is evacuating hundreds of Bedouin families trapped wrong the confederate metropolis of Suwayda, wherever a fragile ceasefire is holding aft Druze and Bedouin fighters fought for a week.

The archetypal Bedouin families near connected Monday connected buses and trucks accompanied by Syrian Arab Red Crescent vehicles and ambulances. They were taken to adjacent Daraa arsenic the authorities plans to evacuate 1,500 people.

“At slightest 500 radical person already near connected 10 buses this morning, and much are expected to exit Suwayda successful the adjacent fewer hours,” Al Jazeera’s Mohamed Vall said astir noon (09:00 GMT) connected Monday successful a study from the capital, Damascus.

The clashes between the Druze number and Bedouin clans, which began connected July 13, killed astir 260 radical and threatened to unravel Syria’s post-war transition. The unit besides displaced 128,571 people, according to the United Nations International Organisation for Migration.

Israel intervened and launched aerial attacks connected Syria’s Ministry of Defence buildings successful the bosom of Damascus. Israeli forces besides deed Syrian authorities forces successful Suwayda province, claiming it was protecting the Druze, whom it calls its “brothers”.

Vall said immoderate Bedouin families were evacuating the state voluntarily.

“There are 7 districts of Suwayda that are inhabited partially oregon … mostly by Arab Bedouins, and they are each nether menace – oregon they consciousness nether menace – and immoderate of them are consenting to permission [on their own],” helium said.

Syrian Interior Minister Ahmad al-Dalati told the SANA quality bureau that the evacuation process volition besides let displaced civilians from Suwayda to instrumentality arsenic efforts for a implicit ceasefire are nether way.

“We person imposed a information cordon successful the vicinity of Suwayda to support it unafraid and to halt the warring there,” al-Dalati told the agency. “This volition sphere the way that volition pb to reconciliation and stableness successful the province.”

Members of the Syrian government’s information forces deploy connected a roadworthy successful Taarah that goes to Daraa connected July 21, 2025 [Rami al Sayed/AFP]

According to the United Kingdom-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights warfare monitor, the ceasefire agreed connected Saturday says the Bedouin fighters volition merchandise Druze women they are holding captive and permission the province.

After talks for a captives swap fell done precocious connected Sunday, the observatory and activistic groups successful Suwayda reported proceeding what they said were Israeli aerial strikes and helicopters implicit villages wherever immoderate skirmishes took spot betwixt the Bedouins and the Druze.

The Israeli subject said it was “not aware” of immoderate overnight strikes successful Syria.

Meanwhile, an archetypal Syrian Arab Red Crescent convoy entered Suwayda connected Sunday, carrying UN humanitarian assistance, including food, water, aesculapian supplies and fuel, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.

Interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has tried to entreaty to the Druze assemblage portion slamming its factions loyal to spiritual person Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri who person been progressive successful the clashes. He promised to clasp accountable perpetrators of targeted attacks and different violations.

The Druze number mostly celebrated the downfall successful December of the al-Assad family, which ruled Syria for 53 years.

But al-Hijri, who had immoderate allegiance to deposed President Bashar al-Assad successful the past, and his supporters person taken a much confrontational attack with al-Sharaa, contrary to astir different influential Druze figures.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies