Syrian government withdraws troops from Suwayda. More than 350 people killed there

The Syrian government has withdrawn troops from the southern province of Suwayda, which is populated mainly by the Druze minority, and announced that local leaders would take control of security to try to prevent violence.

This is reported by the Qatari media Al Jazeera and the Saudi Al Arabiya.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports that 374 people have been killed in fighting since July 11, including those killed in Israeli airstrikes on Damascus. Of these, 27, including four women and an elderly man, were extrajudicially executed by government forces.

The Syrian government reported the withdrawal of its army from Suwayda on July 16. The United States reaffirmed the ceasefire agreement and called on all parties to abide by their commitments.

Government forces said the order to withdraw troops came shortly before midnight, and they completed the withdrawal at dawn. The Interior Ministry published the text of the new agreement. It calls for a “complete and immediate cessation of all military operations” and the formation of a committee of government officials and Druze spiritual leaders to oversee the implementation of the ceasefire.

Syriaʼs interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa declared in a televised address on July 17 that responsibility for security in Suwayda would be transferred to religious elders and local groups, "based on the highest national interests".

"We seek to hold accountable those who violated the rules and abused our Druze people, as they are under the protection and responsibility of the state," he said.

What is happening in southern Syria?

Bedouin and Druze groups have a long-standing feud in Suwayda, where violence occasionally erupts. Witnesses said the latest clashes between Druze and Bedouin tribes began after a spate of kidnappings. On Friday, a Druze merchant was kidnapped on the highway connecting Damascus to Suwayda.

Syrian military columns with heavy artillery were spotted en route to Suwayda on July 15. This is the first time government troops have deployed to Suwayda since the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024.

On July 15, the Syrian Ministry of Defense reported a ceasefire in Suwayda, saying it had reached an agreement with “respectable people and authorities” in the city after several days of deadly clashes. However, the truce collapsed almost immediately.

Israel, which views the Druze minority as a potential ally, attacks Syrian government forces in Suwayda under the pretext of protecting the group. On July 16, the Israel Defense Forces attacked the Syrian Ministry of Defense building in Damascus.

Israeli media reports that on the evening of July 16, nearly a thousand Israeli friends broke through the border from the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights and ended up in Syrian territory. On the other hand, dozens of Syrian friends tried to get into Israel.

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