Armed Syrian Bedouins announce withdrawal from Sweida, a Druze-majority city

In Syria, armed Bedouin clans announced their withdrawal from the city of Sweida, where the Druze constitute the majority. This happened after more than a week of clashes and a US-brokered ceasefire, when humanitarian convoys began to arrive in the affected city, UNN writes with reference to AP.

Details

Clashes between militias of the Druze religious minority and Sunni Muslim clans have claimed hundreds of lives and threatened to derail Syria's already fragile post-war transition.

Israel also launched dozens of airstrikes in Sweida province, where the Druze are the majority, targeting government forces that effectively sided with the Bedouins.

The clashes also led to a series of targeted sectarian attacks on the Druze community, followed by retaliatory attacks on the Bedouins.

A series of tit-for-tat kidnappings sparked clashes in various towns and villages in the province, which later spread to the city. Government forces were redeployed to stop the renewed fighting that erupted on Thursday.

Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa tried to appeal to the Druze community. He later called on the Bedouins to leave the city, stating that they "cannot replace the role of the state in resolving the country's affairs and restoring security."

We thank the Bedouins for their heroic stance, but we demand that they fully adhere to the ceasefire and obey the orders of the state

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Dozens of armed Bedouin fighters, along with other clans from across the country who came to support them, remained on the outskirts of the city and were surrounded by government security forces and military police.

They accuse Druze groups loyal to spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri of the clashes and accuse them of harming Bedouin families.

We will not leave until he surrenders himself along with those who tried to incite rebellion with him. And only then will we return home

Khaled al-Mohammad arrived in the southern province with other tribal members from the eastern province of Deir ez-Zor.

The Bedouin retreat brought some calm to the region. Humanitarian convoys have already set off.

The Syrian Red Crescent said on Sunday that it had sent 32 trucks loaded with food, medicine, water, fuel and other aid after the fighting led to power outages and shortages in the province.

Addition

Syrian security forces have begun deploying in As-Suwayda province to protect the population and end the chaos. This comes after inter-communal violence that has killed more than 700 people.

Earlier, interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced the priority of protecting the Druze community after reports of troop withdrawal from As-Suwayda. This happened after Israeli airstrikes on Damascus and amid inter-communal clashes in the south of the country.