Syria’s defence ministry says it is aware of reports of ‘shocking violations’ in Sweida
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Damaged vehicles remaining in a Sweida street after sectarian clashes in the Syrian city in July.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- Syria investigates "shocking violations" in Sweida, involving people in military fatigues, following sectarian clashes between Druze and Bedouin tribes.
- Over 300 died in fighting that drew in neighbouring Israel, leading to a ceasefire agreed by Syria and Israel, supported by Turkey and Jordan.
- The Syrian interior ministry is also investigating reports of field executions by "unknown people" and the fact-finding committee identifies incidents as some of the worst cases of violence to hit Syria.
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DAMASCUS – The Syrian defence ministry said on July 22 it was aware of reports of “shocking violations” by people wearing military fatigues in the country’s predominantly Druze city of Sweida, and said it would launch an investigation.
Sectarian clashes escalated in Sweida in July between the Druze – a religious minority native to the area – and Syrian Bedouin tribes.
Ferocious fighting then broke out between Druze militia and government forces sent to the city to quell the unrest.
The fighting left more than 300 people dead and drew in neighbouring Israel, which carried out air strikes in southern Syria and on the defence ministry in Damascus last week.
Israel said it was protecting the Druze, who form a significant minority in Israel.
On July 18, Israel and Syria agreed to a ceasefire supported by Turkey, Jordan and neighbours.
Syria’s Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra said in a statement there would be “no tolerance” for perpetrators of human rights violations in Sweida, even if they were committed by ministry forces.
A committee has been formed to investigate reports of killings by people wearing military fatigues and to try to identify them, he said.
Separately, the Syrian interior ministry said it had launched an investigation into reports of field executions committed by “unknown people” in Sweida.
“Such acts constitute serious crimes,” ministry spokesman Nour al-Din Al-Baba said, stressing that the ministry was also working on identifying those involved.
A Syrian fact-finding committee said separately on July 22 that 1,426 people had died in March in attacks on security forces and subsequent mass killings of Alawites, but concluded that commanders had not given orders for the revenge attacks.
The incidents in the coastal region were the worst violence to hit Syria since the downfall of then president Bashar al-Assad in 2024.
The new leadership is made up mainly of former anti-Assad rebel fighters, who are facing fresh unrest in July involving other minority groups in the south-west. REUTERS
