Tensions Erupt in Southern Syria: Clashes Between Druze and Bedouin Amid Sectarian Incitement

Watan-Southern Syria’s Sweida Province witnessed armed clashes between members of the Druze and Bedouin communities late Sunday into Monday. The confrontations, which lasted for hours, included the blocking of the Damascus-Sweida road by armed gangs, detaining civilians, and intimidating them at gunpoint.

Meanwhile, in the city of Homs, a brawl erupted among university students from Sweida and others following the circulation of a sectarian audio recording, prompting a late-night intervention by security forces.

In Sweida, the clashes—during which medium-grade weapons were used—stemmed from tensions that had been building for days due to mutual kidnappings involving members of both the Druze and Bedouin communities.

The incidents included the kidnapping of the head of the Sweida Transport Department, accused of extortion, and several militants. This series of events ended with a tribal reconciliation and a popular move by residents of Shahba city (from both communities) to expel and pursue members of the attacking group.

The unrest had already spilled into the town of Al-Matla, located in southern rural Damascus on the road to Sweida, leading to assaults on passing vehicles and the deaths of two young men from Damascus, along with others injured, last Friday evening while returning from visiting friends in Sweida.

Activist Munzer Al-Jabr told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that these incidents often rapidly escalate into sectarian and tribal conflicts, fueled by mobilization and incitement, even though many disputes also occur within a single community and are often resolved through reconciliation.

Despite the ongoing efforts of intellectuals, elders, and religious figures on both sides, any personal dispute quickly escalates into a collective confrontation, often harming innocent civilians. An unnamed activist warned that much of the apparent sectarian tension masks an agenda aimed at partitioning the country and expelling non-Druze residents from Sweida. He noted that separatists are exploiting every incident, using social media to inflame tensions and implement on-the-ground strategies, although reciprocal responses for self-defense are also evident.

Security Operations in Sweida and Daraa

In a related development, Public Security Forces launched a security campaign Monday morning targeting those involved in kidnapping and theft crimes in Al-Matla and the Al-Lajat area of northeastern Daraa countryside, connected to Al-Matla. According to Daraa 24 network, clashes broke out between security forces and armed residents of the town. Meanwhile, authorities in Daraa are intensifying efforts to secure the main Damascus-Nasib border crossing route to Jordan and are pursuing arms and drug traffickers to restore order.

Sectarian Tensions at Universities

Elsewhere, students from Sweida faced sectarian-motivated assaults at university dormitories in Homs and Damascus late Sunday. Video footage showed groups of demonstrators in Homs university campus chanting sectarian slogans, including threats, before security forces intervened, dispersed the crowd, and detained several instigators.

One student told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed: “We didn’t initially know what sparked the sudden gatherings. Many of us sought refuge in friends’ rooms from the Sunni community to avoid an unknown dispute. Later, it became clear that a circulated audio recording, attributed to a deranged individual claiming to be a Druze faction leader, contained insults and slurs against the Sunni community.”

He added: “This lunatic only represents himself and deserves punishment. Such isolated incidents must not be generalized to entire communities. Universities and student housing must be kept free from incitement because students represent Syria’s future and are best positioned to reject hatred and achieve coexistence and national peace among the Syrian people.”