Druze fighters have regained control of the city of Suwayda in southern Syria following a week of violent clashes with Bedouin groups and allied tribal forces. Despite the announcement of a ceasefire by Syrian authorities, hostilities continue in surrounding areas of the province, highlighting the fragility of the agreement.
Over 940 people have reportedly been killed in the latest wave of intercommunal violence, which erupted amid long-standing tensions between the Druze community and nomadic tribes over local governance, security, and control of trade routes.
Local reports confirm that tribal fighters withdrew from Suwayda city late Saturday after a successful counteroffensive by Druze forces. However, sporadic shelling continues from tribal positions on the outskirts, and intense fighting has been reported in the town of Arika to the north.
Syrian officials have acknowledged the ceasefire remains unstable. A phased plan is said to be underway, starting with the deployment of security forces in the broader Suwayda province. Humanitarian corridors are also being planned to evacuate civilians and wounded individuals safely to neighboring areas such as Daraa.
The city of Suwayda is predominantly inhabited by Druze, a minority religious group with a history of both cooperation and tension with the Syrian regime. The recent unrest underscores the complex sectarian dynamics that continue to destabilize southern Syria more than a decade into the civil conflict.
