Illustrative image. (Syrian Arab News Agency)
The death toll from the battle in the southern Syrian governorate of al-Suwayda has exceeded 1,000, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on July 20.
The battle in the southern governorate broke on July 13 with limited clashes between Druze fighters and Sunni bedouins. Syria’s Islamist-led government sided with the Bedouins and launched a large-scale attack on the governorate on July 14, but Israel sided with the Druze, whom it promised to protect after the fall of the Assad regime last year, and forced government forces to withdraw by July 16.
The battle reignited on July 17 after the withdrawal of the government with Syrian tribes announcing a general mobilization to fight the Druze.
The United States announced a ceasefire after talks with Israel and Syria on July 18, but the attack continued and tribal forces managed to storm the city of al-Suwayda. The forces were pushed out by the Druze by late July 19, with no support from Israel.
Government and tribal forces were blamed for a wide range of war crimes against the Druze, from setting buildings on fire, to looting, abductions and summary executions. Videos showing some of these atrocities continue to surface online.
to surface online.
By July 20 morning, clashes had mostly stopped in al-Suwayda with the government deploying security forces in the areas captured by tribal forces in the outskirts of the city, as well as in the northern and western countryside of the governorate.
The SOHR, which is based in London, said that the battle has so far claimed the lives of 1,017 people, including 194 Druze civilians who were executed by government forces. The real death toll is expected to be much higher, especially when it comes to civilians.
The battle is not over yet, as many issues remain unsolved. The government claims that it has the right to deploy its security forces in al-Suwayda under the U.S.-brokered agreement. However, a statement by the spiritual leadership of Druze stated that the said forces should deploy only on the administrative border of the governorate.
A large aid convoy headed by the Syrian health and social affairs ministers was sent by the government to al-Suwayda after the end of the clashes. The Druze welcomed the aid, but refused to allow the two ministers to enter.
Later, sniper fire was reported in the outskirts of the city, where security forces are deployed, a large tribal force was said to be preparing to launch a new attack against the Druze in the eastern countryside of the governorate.
Amid these developments, the spiritual leadership of Druze demanded the complete withdrawal of all government and tribal forces from the entirety of al-Suwayda.
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