1,400+ killed in Sweida clashes since July 13: Syrian Observatory
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Over 1,400 people have been killed in Syria’s Sweida Province since July 13, as clashes, field executions, and Israeli airstrikes continue despite a declared truce, the Syrian Observatory warns.
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Druze militiamen ride a motorcycle past the site of an Israeli strike last week on the main road outside the town of Sweida, Syria, Friday, July 25, 2025 (AP)
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported Saturday that the death toll in Sweida Province has reached 1,420 people since July 13, amid ongoing clashes, field executions, and repeated Israeli airstrikes.
According to the Observatory, the casualties include 678 residents of Sweida, among them 145 civilians, including 21 children and 56 women. The report also confirmed the death of 469 members of the Ministry of Defense and General Security, including 40 from Bedouin tribes and one Lebanese national.
The Observatory added that 15 members of the Syrian Defense and Interior Ministries were killed in Israeli air raids. Additionally, three civilians, including a woman and two unidentified individuals, were killed when Israeli warplanes bombed the ministry building.
The report highlighted the scale of field executions, stating that 250 people were executed by personnel from the Defense and Interior Ministries. Among the victims were 12 women, 8 children, and an elderly man. The Observatory also reported that three Bedouin tribespeople, including a woman and a child, were executed by armed Druze factions.
Sudden escalation west of Sweida
On Saturday, heavy anti-aircraft fire was reported in the western neighborhoods of Sweida city, originating from the Kanaker area. Tal al-Hadid and its surroundings were targeted with heavy shelling by Bedouin tribal groups, marking a clear violation of the current truce.
This escalation comes amid ongoing looting and vandalism in the town of Kanaker, now in its second day, taking place openly under the watch of General Security forces controlling western Sweida.
In a separate incident, the Observatory stated that General Security forces opened fire on a group of civilians attempting to access the Thaala road, in a bid to reach critical agricultural projects currently cut off by a tight blockade. Local farmers have demanded that the road be reopened to resume work, but General Security units continue to block all access.
The Observatory warned that such actions are exacerbating civilian suffering and disrupting daily life, urging all parties to respect the truce and guarantee the rights of residents in affected areas.
Observatory warns of truce collapse
Despite the official declaration of a ceasefire in Sweida, the daily rise in casualties points to the fragility of the current calm and a rapidly deteriorating security situation, the Observatory warned. It criticized the lack of a monitoring mechanism or accountability for those violating the truce.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights condemned what it described as a blatant breach of the ceasefire, holding the responsible parties fully accountable for endangering civilian lives. It called on all factions to respect the declared truce and spare civilians the horrors of war and repeated violations.
Read more: Sweida hospital overwhelmed as clashes, strikes devastate city
