SWEIDA, SYRIA:
Intense fighting has flared up once again in the southern Syrian region of Sweida, where Druze community militias and Syrian government forces engaged in clashes that lasted for several hours. This renewed fighting underscores the instability in areas outside the firm control of the Bashar al-Assad regime and points to escalating tensions within the fragile region.
According to foreign media reports, the exchange of fire involved the use of light weapons, mortar rounds, and drones by both the Druze tribes and the Syrian government forces in the Sweida area. The deployment of drones suggests that these were not minor skirmishes but calculated military engagements.
Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri, the spiritual and political leader of the Druze tribes, laid the blame for the renewed hostilities squarely on the Syrian government forces. He claimed that actions and provocations by the state army led to the escalation of tensions. Sheikh al-Hajri further asserted that his militias successfully repelled the government forces’ attack and inflicted casualties upon them, signaling a clear intent to resist state military pressure.
As of now, there has been no official response from the Syrian government regarding the latest escalation. The recurring confrontations in Sweida, a significant stronghold for the Druze community, highlight deep-seated tensions concerning regional control and the rights of local populations, posing a persistent threat to regional stability despite the broader ceasefire agreements.
