2026-03-17T16:36:53+00:00

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Shafaq News- Damascus

Violence in Suwayda province in July 2025 killed 1,760 people and
injured 2,188 others, a special investigation committee said on Tuesday.

Clashes between Bedouin and Druze groups between July 11 and 20 involved
ambushes targeting government forces attempting to intervene, as well as
Israeli airstrikes on government sites and command positions in Damascus, the
report found. The committee noted that the widespread availability of weapons
and the presence of armed groups outside institutional control hindered efforts
to protect civilians, despite official directives, contributing to the scale of
violations.

Investigators said they could not determine the final number of missing
persons due to limited access to Suwayda city and gaps in available data.
Preliminary findings documented 60 missing individuals from tribal (Bedouin)
communities and 30 members of the Ministry of Defense.

The committee confirmed it had compiled a list of suspects that includes
members of the Ministries of Defense and Interior, Druze groups, and civilians
from Bedouin and tribal communities, with evidence linking them to intentional
killings, armed robbery, torture, and incitement of sectarian strife under
Syrian law.

On the humanitarian front, the committee recorded large-scale
displacement, including 27,404 displaced individuals from tribal communities
and 34,845 displaced Druze and Christians. They were distributed across
shelters in Daraa, Sayyida Zainab, Zakia, Jaramana, and villages in the Mount
Hermon area.

The report also pointed to the involvement of “external parties” in
arson and looting, and documented cases of negligence by some security
personnel in preventing tribal reinforcements from reaching the area. It stated
that army and internal security forces initially attempted to block tribal
fighters from entering Suwayda but failed due to their large numbers, as well
as the withdrawal of some personnel after witnessing the scale of reciprocal
abuses.

“At least 36 villages in Suwayda’s countryside were subjected to
systematic burning and vandalism, including religious sites,” the report indicated,
adding that factions from neighboring areas and outside the province carried
out attacks in rural areas for looting and retaliation, leading to mass
displacement among Druze residents. Additionally, Suwayda city and its
surroundings witnessed retaliatory attacks by Druze armed groups targeting
Bedouin communities, involving arson, looting, and destruction, which resulted
in the forced displacement of most Bedouin families.

The committee confirmed that authorities have begun preliminary legal
measures, including detaining several suspects and referring them to the
judiciary.

Read more: Damascus’ Suwayda Roadmap: Fragile peace or prelude to autonomy?