Damascus: The national government of Syria has announced a new ceasefire to end clashes between Druze and Sunni militias around the southern city of Sweida.
According to Deutsche Welle, more than 300 people were killed and many more injured through Wednesday.
The clashes were reported to have begun after a Druze youth was beaten and robbed by members of the Sunni Bedouin community on a highway between the capital, Damascus, and Sweida on Sunday. Druze fighters then kidnapped Bedouins, which spurred further violence.
The government sent troops into Sweida, located about 100 kilometers (60 miles) south of Damascus, to quell the violence. Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi, a journalist specializing in Syria and Iraq, stated on X that Druze fighters initially resisted the troops but eventually handed over their weapons.
According to Deutsche Welle, the clashes in Sweida are part of long-running conflicts between different populations. Bente Scheller, the head of the Middle East and North Africa division of Germany’s Heinrich Böll Foundation, noted that many groups in Syria feel their concerns or rights are not sufficiently addressed, leading to violence. The main issues in the Sweida area include cultural or religious identity conflicts and violent crime linked to drug smuggling.
In recent months, similar sectarian violence has erupted in other parts of Syria. In April and May, clashes occurred between Druze and government-affiliated forces in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana. In March, Alawites ambushed government forces, triggering days of violence and revenge attacks involving fighters connected to the government. More than 1,300 people were killed in these clashes.
Andre Bank, a research fellow specializing in Syria at the Hamburg-based GIGA Institute for Middle East Studies, explained that the Syrian government does not explicitly favor any group due to its pluralistic nature. However, the inability to control local actors and government troops raises concerns about ongoing violence.
The situation presents significant challenges for President Ahmed al-Sharaa in preventing widespread violence. International pressures have increased, especially after the US and EU lifted sanctions on Syria, contingent on the protection of minorities.
In June, a suicide attack at a Christian church in Damascus, resulting in 25 deaths, highlighted the difficulty of meeting these expectations. The Interior Ministry blamed the Islamic State for the attack, though other groups have also been implicated.
Suspicion surrounds the government’s response to attacks on Alawites, with no results from promised investigations. Financial constraints further hinder the government’s ability to address various issues, including drafting new laws and supporting minority groups like the Kurds in the north demanding autonomy.
The government faces ongoing challenges in managing these conflicts, which are expected to persist for the foreseeable future.