Armed Bedouin clans announced their withdrawal from Sweida, a Druze-majority city in southern Syria, following over a week of violent clashes with Druze militias that killed hundreds, as part of a US-brokered ceasefire. The conflict, sparked by tit-for-tat kidnappings, escalated across Sweida province, threatening Syria’s fragile post-war transition. Israel’s airstrikes targeting Syrian government forces, accused of siding with Bedouins, further intensified the violence.

Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, sympathetic to the Bedouins, urged them to honor the ceasefire, stating, “They cannot replace the state’s role in restoring security.” In a Saturday address, he called for compliance with state orders while pledging to protect all minorities. The Syrian Red Crescent and Health Ministry dispatched 32 trucks with food, medicine, and fuel to address power cuts and shortages in Sweida, where hospitals are overwhelmed.

US envoy Tom Barrack condemned the “atrocities” and urged all factions to abandon “tribal vengeance,” warning that Syria’s post-war optimism is at risk. Reports surfaced of Bedouin fighters and government forces killing dozens of Druze civilians, destroying religious portraits, and humiliating elders by shaving their mustaches—an act of cultural disrespect. Druze militias retaliated, attacking Bedouin areas, driving families to Daraa province.

Also Read: Explosive Clash in Syria: Israel Strikes Damascus Amid Deadly Druze-Rebel Battle in Sweida!

Syria hosts over half of the world’s 1 million Druze, with others in Lebanon and Israel’s Golan Heights. While many Druze celebrated the Assad regime’s fall, distrust in al-Sharaa’s Islamist-leaning leadership has grown, dimming hopes for peaceful coexistence. The ceasefire has restored cautious calm, but the humanitarian crisis persists, with aid delivery hampered by ongoing tensions.

Also Read: Israel Strikes Syrian Tanks Amid Deadly Clashes in Sweida