Sweida clashes intensify as ceasefire fails, hospital besieged
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Hundreds flee Sweida as fighting escalates and services collapse, with the ceasefire in tatters and civilians trapped.
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A convoy of government forces drives toward Sweida city, Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP)
Violent clashes have reignited in the southern Syrian city of Sweida, despite the announcement of a ceasefire earlier this week. According to Al Mayadeen’s correspondent on Wednesday, the truce agreement “was not implemented,” and fighting has resumed with increasing intensity.
Local sources reported that the renewed hostilities began after armed groups violated the terms of the ceasefire. In response, the military forces have resumed operations in what they described as “compliance with the rules of engagement.”
The interim Ministry of Defense’s Media and Communications Department, operating under the transitional authority, confirmed the military’s response and warned civilians to remain indoors and alert authorities to the presence of militants.
“The so-called lawless groups have resumed their assaults on army and internal security positions,” the ministry said, emphasizing that earlier directives granted the army the right to retaliate against hostile fire.
Reports also indicate ongoing civilian displacement, as residents flee the violence. Eyewitnesses and local media confirmed sightings of Israeli warplanes flying over the city, although no direct airstrikes have been verified at this time.
Sweida National Hospital besieged
In a concerning development, Sweida’s National Hospital has gone out of service after being surrounded by heavy military vehicles and reportedly cut off from all essential supplies.
Medical staff issued an urgent plea for assistance, citing the lack of electricity, water, and food, and called for the immediate evacuation of patients and wounded individuals to alternative facilities in the province.
Humanitarian conditions in the area continue to deteriorate as violence intensifies and access to essential medical services collapses.
Escalation across Southern Syria
The surge in fighting escalated late Tuesday and continued into early Wednesday, coinciding with unconfirmed Israeli airstrikes targeting military installations in Sweida and neighboring Daraa. Tensions have also worsened between the transitional government in Damascus and Druze community leaders in the Jabal al-Arab region.
Clashes initially broke out several days ago between local Druze fighters and a mix of Bedouin tribesmen and armed groups affiliated with the Ministry of Defense. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the death toll has already surpassed 250, with the violence spreading across multiple districts in the south.
Local media also reported a steady stream of Sweida residents fleeing toward the eastern countryside of Daraa in search of safety from the ongoing conflict.
