Tensions ease in Sweida as all detainees released amid mediation

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen English
14 Jul 2025 08:31
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All detainees held by Bedouin tribes and local factions in Sweida were released following mediation by Druze leaders, amid ongoing security tensions and recent clashes in southern Syria.

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A Druze man, center, stands next to Syrian security forces who reached a deal with Druze gunmen to deploy around the southern Damascus suburb of Jaramana that has witnessed fighting earlier this week in Damascus, Syria, on May 2, 2025. (AP)

Local Syrian sources reported early on Monday that all individuals detained by Bedouin tribes and local factions in Sweida have been released, marking a step toward de-escalation in the area.

According to the sources, the release was achieved through mediation led by Sheikh al-‘Aql Yusuf Jarbou, in coordination with Druze religious figures and tribal elders.

Syria's Interior Ministry stated this morning that government forces will intervene immediately to resolve the conflict. In turn, the Syrian Defense Ministry called on all parties in Sweida to cooperate with security forces and exercise restraint.

This comes after fierce clashes broke out overnight Monday in southern Syria, leaving at least 37 people dead and at least 100 injured.

عشائر ريف دمشق والمنطقة الشرقية يعلنون النفير العام ويتجهون إلى #السويداء دعمًا للبدو في مواجهة الفصائل العسكرية الدرزية #الميادين #سوريا pic.twitter.com/cAcqteJUr4
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) July 13, 2025

According to local sources who spoke to Al Mayadeen, violent confrontations erupted between armed Druze factions from Sweida and Bedouin tribal groups near al-Thalaa military airport and the village bridge of Hazm, located north of Sweida governorate.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that Syria's Ministry of Defense has deployed significant reinforcements to the region.

Sources also told Al Mayadeen that armed groups took control of the village of al-Surah in Sweida’s countryside following intense clashes, triggering a wave of displacement from the area.

Meanwhile, local factions regained control of the village of al-Tayra in western Sweida, as residents in the Khalkhalah area began fleeing toward the city amid fears of escalating battles.

اشتباكات عنيفة بين فصائل عسكرية من دروز السويداء وعشائر البدو في مطار الثعلة في محافظة #السويداء #الميادين #سوريا pic.twitter.com/6GJkHXdR4z
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) July 13, 2025

Druze fighters blame Syrian government for security deterioration

In a statement issued on Monday after midnight, the influential Rejal al-Karamah (Men of Dignity) movement, the most prominent Druze group in Sweida, placed direct blame on the Syrian government for the deterioration of security in the governorate. The group warned that the current unrest "threatens civil peace and paves the way for chaos."

The movement emphasized that the roots of the crisis lie in "the deliberate absence of the state's role in securing the vital road" connecting Damascus to Sweida and the government's continued disregard for repeated violations and assaults against civilians along this route.

However, the Men of Dignity affirmed in their statement that while they are working to prevent further bloodshed, "the principle of self-defense is non-negotiable."

The group declared a general mobilization, stressing that they aim to "deter those who violate public safety" and protect civil order, not to seek vengeance.