- Over 300 people killed in a week of clashes in and around southern city of Sweida
- Fighting erupted after a Bedouin tribesman attacked a Druze vegetable seller on July 13
- Syrian government troops deployed to enforce ceasefire amid accusations of abuses
Over 300 people have been killed in a week of violent clashes between Syria's Druze minority and Sunni Bedouin tribes in and around the southern city of Sweida, as government efforts to enforce a ceasefire falter and fears of wider conflict grow.
Gunfire and mortar shelling hit the city on Saturday. The Syrian government had earlier deployed troops to the Druze-majority region in a bid to restore order and urged all parties to end hostilities.
Clashes began last Sunday, rooted in longstanding tensions between Druze communities and Bedouin tribes. Government and allied forces, including Bedouin fighters, took control of several villages previously held by Druze armed groups. The escalation led Damascus to announce a ceasefire on Tuesday, following talks with Druze leaders.
Who Are The Bedouins?
The Bedouins are traditionally nomadic, Arabic-speaking tribes who have inhabited the deserts of the Middle East and North Africa for centuries. The word Bedouin derives from the Arabic badawi, meaning "desert dweller," and these communities historically survived by herding livestock, primarily camels, sheep, and goats, while navigating seasonal migrations across vast arid landscapes.
In Syria, Bedouins have primarily lived in the expansive Al-Badia desert, which covers much of the country's south and east, including provinces like Sweida, Homs, and Deir ez-Zor.
Syria's Bedouin population, estimated at over one million before the civil war, includes major clans like the Ruwallah of the Anizzah confederation. Many migrated north from the Arabian Peninsula in the 18th century. They remained on the margins of political power, but their influence over grazing lands and trade routes was considerable.
History Of Bedouin And Druze
The Druze and Bedouins in southern Syria have shared a long and complicated history, sometimes as partners, sometimes as rivals. The Bedouins lived in the region long before the Druze arrived in the 17th and 18th centuries. Over time, the two communities built strong economic and social ties. Bedouins traded salt, helped herd livestock, and worked with Druze families in farming and transport. In return, the Druze offered access to goods, water, and markets. Their cultures influenced each other. Some Druze dances and music styles came from Bedouin traditions, and Bedouins often gifted Arabian horses to respected Druze leaders.
The relationship hasn't always been peaceful. In the early 1950s, Syrian president Adib Shishakli cracked down on the Druze and encouraged Bedouin tribes to attack their villages. These raids led to looting and displacement. Land disputes have also triggered violence. In 2000, a Bedouin tribesman killed a Druze man during a dispute. Protests followed, and government forces opened fire on Druze demonstrators. Many Druze saw this as the government siding with the Bedouins.
The two groups have also fought side by side. During the Great Syrian Revolt against French rule in the 1920s, Druze and Bedouin fighters joined forces and won key battles.
Why Are The Bedouins Fighting The Druze Now?
The latest fighting between Syria's Druze minority and Bedouin tribes erupted after a violent altercation at a makeshift checkpoint on July 13. A Bedouin tribesman reportedly attacked a Druze civilian who was selling vegetables. The local dispute quickly spiralled into retaliatory kidnappings and armed clashes, pulling in heavily armed militias from both sides. The violence has since spread across Sweida, a Druze-majority city in southern Syria, leading to over 300 deaths in less than a week.
The conflict escalated in a power vacuum left by the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime. The US-backed interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa government ordered the dissolution of all local militias, including powerful Druze defence groups. While Druze factions resisted, some Bedouin tribes aligned with the government. When Syrian government forces entered Sweida to enforce a ceasefire, many Druze accused them of siding with Bedouins and committing serious abuses, including looting and summary executions.
Druze militias responded with a wave of revenge attacks. Israel, which maintains close ties with Druze populations, responded by bombing government positions near the border and warning Damascus against further aggression. Israeli leaders declared that they would not allow harm to come to the Druze in Syria.
