Sunni fighters threaten to ‘burn’ Suwayda despite ceasefire

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The pro-government Sunni fighters are threatening to attack the southern Druze-majority province of Suwayda and “burn” all inside if their alleged hostages are not released by Druze militants. A war monitor reported over a thousand deaths in the latest sectarian conflict.

“We will take our revenge - our prisoners are inside, our martyrs are inside, our killed ones, and our women,” a fighter affiliated with the Sunni Bedouin tribes told Rudaw while waiting at the entrance of Suwayda province along with dozens others. They were attempting to enter the province to resume clashes with the Druze fighters but were stopped by state security forces who had been deployed to implement a US-brokered ceasefire.

The tribal fighter added that they do not have an issue with the Druze community, except for Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajari, the most prominent Druze spiritual leader who has rebelled against Damascus and whose fighters have been entangled in days of clashes with the Bedouin tribes.

“We will burn Suwayda along with all those inside. We are bearing the dignity of the homeland and the dignity of the president [Ahmed al-Sharaa]. We are waiting for the president's words,” the angry fighter noted, claiming that the Druze militants are holding Bedouin hostages.

Clashes have continued between Druze fighters and tribal groups in Suwayda, pushing the death toll to at least 1,017 despite the ongoing ceasefire announced earlier on Saturday, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

Rami Abdulrahman, head of the war monitor, told Rudaw English on Sunday that among the dead are 440 residents of Suwayda, including 104 civilians. Of those civilians, six were children and 16 were women. Another 361 fatalities were from the defense ministry and state-linked General Security elements, including 18 Bedouin tribal members and one Lebanese national gunman.

 

Another Bedouin fighter told Rudaw at the entrance of Suwayda that his main concerns are the members of his tribe who have allegedly been held hostage by the Druze inside Suwayda.

“We are with the truce but I swear by God if they violate the ceasefire no one can stop us, including the president and minister of finance. Let them [Syrian state forces] withdraw [from Suwayda] now and leave the matter to the tribes, to the people of Syria - not Israel and not America or any country. No one will stop us,” he said.

Many other fighters around him were furious and called for revenge.

The fighting erupted between the Druze and Bedouin tribes on July 13, leading to a regional crisis as Israel intervened in support of the Druze - hitting several targets - including Syrian state forces and an airstrike on the building of the defence ministry in Damascus.
The ceasefire between Israel and Syria - brokered by Washington - was announced Saturday by the US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack.

There have been several ceasefires by the Syrian government in Suwayda, none of which have lasted.

The latest ceasefire plan, according to Syrian Information Minister Hamza al-Mustafa, consists of three phases: the initial deployment of internal security forces to de-escalate clashes and secure key routes, followed by the opening of humanitarian corridors between Daraa and Suwayda to allow the evacuation of civilians and wounded, and finally, the gradual reactivation of state institutions and full restoration of law and order.

On Sunday, Mustafa blamed the deterioration of the security situation on “flagrant Israeli intervention” and the subsequent withdrawal of Syrian security forces as part of international mediation.

“This has resulted in the loss of the ability to uphold order and stability in the region, impacting the capacity for continued humanitarian operations and the provision of basic needs for the civilian population,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Syrian foreign ministry accused “outlawed armed militias affiliated with Hikmat al-Hajri,” the Druze sheikh, of preventing aid deliveries into the province since Wednesday. Only a limited number of Syrian Arab Red Cross vehicles have been allowed to enter, according to the ministry.

The new Syrian authorities who toppled Bashar al-Assad in December have come under criticism for doing little to protect minorities since coming to power.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Sunday that the latest clashes in Suwayda have displaced a total of 128,000 individuals, reported AFP.

 

Barrack said on Sunday that all parties have ceased hostilities.

“As of 17:00 Damascus time, all parties have navigated to a pause and cessation of hostilities. The next foundation stone on a path to inclusion, and lasting de-escalation, is a complete exchange of hostages and detainees, the logistics of which are in process,” he said on X.

Solin Mohammedamin contributed to this article.

 

 

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