Sectarian clashes flare up in Syria

Sectarian tension in the As-Suwayda province escalated after a Druze merchant was kidnapped at a Bedouin checkpoint. This incident led to armed clashes between Druze communities and Sunni Bedouin tribes. The fighting spread from the center of As-Suwayda to rural areas.

The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that at least 50 people have died in the last 24 hours. Those who lost their lives include 10 members of Bedouin tribes, 34 Druze fighters, and 6 Syrian army personnel.

Syrian media and local sources stated that groups affiliated with Bedouin tribes have launched attacks on Druze villages. The Syrian Ministry of Defense announced that it has sent security forces to the region to bring the tension under control. However, this intervention was met with resistance from the Druze community.

The Syrian Ministry of Interior stated that the crisis has grown due to the "absence of official institutions" and that a security vacuum has increased the tension. The ministry emphasized that the clashes must be ended immediately. The Ministry of Defense, meanwhile, stated that the army has deployed to the region to disperse the clashes quickly and decisively.

The Spiritual Leadership of Unitarian Druze Muslims, the highest religious authority of the Druze community, harshly criticized the intervention of Syrian security forces. The statement alleged that Druze villages were bombed under the pretext of "providing security" and that Bedouin groups were supported with heavy weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Videos circulating on social media show groups allegedly affiliated with Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri detaining Syrian army and security personnel and physically assaulting them. However, these images have not yet been verified by independent sources.

News Source: 12punto