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7h ago

Government Forces Enter Sweida City and Declare Ceasefire After Sectarian Clashes

A citywide curfew remains in effect so local authorities can negotiate disarmament under troop protection following nearly 100 fatalities.

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Two fighters from the Sunni Bedouin clans, ride their motorcycle as they pass by Syrian government security forces deployed on the outskirts of the Sweida province where clashes erupted between Druze militias and Sunni Bedouin clans, southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Malek Khattab)
Syrian government soldiers on a motorcycle pass by a burning tank on the outskirts of Sweida city, where clashes erupted between Druze militias and Sunni Bedouin clans, in southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
Syrian government security forces gather on the outskirts of Sweida province where clashes erupted between Druze militias and Sunni Bedouin clans, southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Malek Khattab)

Overview

  • Syrian troops entered the Druze-majority city on July 15, imposing a strict curfew and announcing a ceasefire after nearly 100 people were killed in sectarian violence.
  • The unrest began when Bedouin gunmen abducted and robbed a Druze vegetable vendor on the highway to Damascus, setting off tit-for-tat attacks across the province.
  • Defense and interior ministry units have established checkpoints and safe corridors throughout Sweida to reassert state control and protect civilians.
  • Israel struck Syrian military tanks in southern Sweida on July 14 as a warning to safeguard the Druze minority, but its air raids have since subsided.
  • Local Druze leaders and government officials are negotiating the handover of weapons and accountability measures as Damascus seeks to restore order.