1,300+ killed in Sweida clashes, Israeli aggression: Syrian watchdog

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen English
22 Jul 2025 21:58

The Syrian Observatory documents 1,311 deaths during a week of deadly clashes in Sweida and Israeli airstrikes, as a fragile US-brokered ceasefire takes hold amid calls for an international investigation.

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Morgue workers place the bodies of unidentified people killed during clashes in Sweida, into plastic bags outside the National Hospital, Syria, Monday, July 21, 2025. (AP)

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has documented a new and incomplete death toll from a week of intense fighting in the southern Syrian province of Sweida. The violent clashes, which began on Sunday, July 13, involved local Druze fighters on one side and Syrian government forces, backed by Interior Ministry troops and armed elements from Bedouin tribes, on the other.

According to the Observatory, 1,311 people have been killed in what it described as an “unprecedented massacre,” including 196 field executions.

Breakdown of casualties

The reported fatalities include:

637 from Sweida, among them 104 civilians (including 6 children and 16 women).
456 fighters affiliated with the Syrian Defense and Interior Ministries, including 32 Bedouin tribesmen and one Lebanese national.
15 members of Syrian forces killed in Israeli airstrikes.
3 individuals (a woman and two unidentified persons) killed when an Israeli airstrike hit the Ministry of Defense building.
1 journalist killed during the fighting.
196 people (28 women, 8 children, and an elderly man) executed by government forces.
3 Bedouin individuals (including a woman and a child) executed by Druze fighters.

Fragile US-brokered ceasefire in effect

The Observatory reports that relative calm has prevailed across frontlines since July 21, following the implementation of a US-brokered ceasefire agreement. The deal includes a prisoner exchange and threatens to keep Syria on the US list of state sponsors of terrorism should the agreement be violated.

As part of the agreement, Druze forces reportedly released around 1,300 tribal captives as a goodwill gesture, while the government side is expected to release 110 Druze prisoners within 48 hours. Minor violations have been reported since the ceasefire took effect.

Renewed violence and Israeli aggression

Despite the ceasefire, renewed tensions erupted Monday in northern Sweida. Intermittent clashes were reported near the towns of Umm al-Zeitoun and Shahba, as government-aligned tribal forces attempted to advance toward Qanawat, the hometown of Druze leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri. At least four tribal fighters were killed during the fighting, according to the Observatory.

Meanwhile, the skies near Shahba witnessed the flight of an Israeli warplane, which reportedly launched a thermal balloon in a warning maneuver, further reflecting the fragile security situation in the region.

In response to the violence, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has called for the formation of an independent UN committee to investigate the “grave violations and crimes” committed in Sweida. The organization stressed the importance of holding all perpetrators accountable, regardless of affiliation, and ensuring justice for the victims.