According to official information from the Syrian Ministry of Defense, the army began withdrawing from the city of Sweida on Wednesday, following several days of violent clashes and a series of Israeli airstrikes on the capital. The withdrawal is part of an agreement reached between the parties involved, after the United States requested the withdrawal of government forces from the area, which is mostly inhabited by Druze people.
The Ministry's statement states that"the army has begun to withdraw from the city of Sweida in compliance with the terms of the agreement adopted, following the completion of the city's clearing operation against illegal groups." The statement did not mention whether other government security forces, deployed in the city on Tuesday with the stated purpose of supervising a previous truce, would also participate in the withdrawal.
Syrian government officials said the withdrawal is part of a new phase opened by the ceasefire announced earlier, which aims to halt military operations in the city following clashes that, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, have left more than 300 dead since Sunday.
The truce agreement establishes the creation of a supervisory committee composed of government representatives and Druze spiritual leaders, whose mission will be to monitor compliance with the truce.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the violence in Sweida province since Sunday has left more than 300 people dead, including government forces, local fighters, and at least 27 Druze civilians, who the organization says were summarily executed. Witnesses reported that, despite the ceasefire announcement, gunfire was heard in the city after the official declaration.
The wave of violence erupted during clashes between security forces, Druze fighters, and Bedouin tribesmen, who carried out attacks and retaliatory actions in various areas of Sweida. Syrian authorities said they would investigate the crimes and punish those responsible for what they called"heinous acts" in the city.
The United States, an ally of Israel and a key player in the recent negotiations, confirmed that an agreement had been reached to restore calm in Sweida and urged"all parties to fulfill their commitments," according to a State Department spokesperson. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed concern about the Israeli airstrikes and urged Syria to withdraw its military forces to allow for a de-escalation of the conflict.
Following previous airstrikes in Sweida province, the Israeli army launched a series of airstrikes on the capital, Damascus, on Wednesday. Images showed damage to a building in the Defense Ministry complex and plumes of smoke billowing in the area. Israeli authorities confirmed hitting a"military target" near the presidential palace, while the Syrian Interior Ministry reported impacts near Mazzeh military airport and confirmed at least three dead and 34 wounded in the attacks.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Damascus to leave the Druze minority in Sweida alone and threatened further military action if Syrian forces did not withdraw. The Syrian Foreign Ministry, for its part, described the Israeli attacks as a serious escalation, while the Israeli army chief maintained that his forces were acting responsibly and with restraint.
The recent conflict in Sweida takes on significance after decades of tensions between the Druze and Bedouin communities in southern Syria. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the hostilities were triggered by the kidnapping of a Druze trader, fueling violent clashes between the two groups. The immediate precedent includes serious fighting between Syrian government forces and Druze fighters in Sweida and areas near Damascus during April and May, in which more than 100 people were killed.
Historically, Syrian authorities have maintained tense relations with the Druze population and other minority groups, accumulating accusations of inaction in the face of sectarian violence. Since the fall of former leader Bashar al-Assad in December, the situation has undergone a shift in the balance of power. Israel, after occupying the Golan Heights demilitarized zone, has increased its military presence and carried out hundreds of attacks on targets in Syrian territory, in a context where it presents its defense of the Druze community as an argument to keep official Syrian forces away from the shared border.
