ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Deadly clashes between Bedouin tribes and Druze fighters in Syria’s Druze-majority Suwayda province have left at least 99 people dead, prompting urgent calls for calm and accountability from the United Nations and Kurdish-led authorities in northeast Syria (Rojava).
In a statement on X, the UN’s Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, Najat Rochdi, expressed “deep concern over reports of violence and abductions” in Suwayda, “which have resulted in significant casualties.”
She called on the “interim authorities [in Damascus] and local stakeholders to take immediate steps to protect civilians, restore calm, and prevent incitement,” stressing “the urgent need for genuine inclusion, trust-building, and meaningful dialogue” to support Syria’s political transition.
Rising death toll
The UN’s remarks come as intense clashes raged on between Bedouin tribes and Druze fighters in Syria’s southern Suwayda province for the second day on Monday.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that at least 99 people have been killed, including 60 Druze locals, among them two women and two children, and 18 Bedouins. The casualties also include 14 Syrian defense ministry personnel and seven unidentified individuals in military attire, according to the war monitor.
Amid the fighting, SOHR also reported sightings of an Israeli warplane over Suwayda, which dropped thermal balloons - typically used for surveillance or decoy purposes.
Later, the Israeli military’s Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee confirmed that Israeli forces had struck several tanks heading toward Suwayda to "impede their arrival” to the Druze-majority province. “The presence of such assets in southern Syria could pose a threat to the State of Israel,” Adraee stated, adding that Israel “will not allow a military threat to exist in southern Syria.”
Israel has in recent months reiterated its commitment to protecting the Druze community in Syria, with whom it says it shares “strong ties.” Moreover, it has repeatedly acted to prevent the establishment of any significant military presence in southern Syria near its border, citing security concerns.
Meanwhile, the Syrian defense ministry expressed dismay over the "unfortunate clashes" in Suwayda, attributing the violence to a "direct result of the institutional and administrative vacuum" plaguing the region.
In a statement relayed by the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) the ministry spokesperson Hassan Abdul Ghani confirmed the deployment of reinforcements to Suwayda, who were reportedly attacked by "outlaw armed groups," resulting in the deaths of 18 officers. He vowed the defense ministry's resolve to "end these futile clashes and pursue the outlaw groups," assuring Suwayda's residents that their "safety, dignity, and livelihoods” would be preserved.
SANA also quoted the Syrian interior ministry as noting the deployment of its security forces and military units to Suwayda as well and underscoring its role in "maintaining security and protecting civilians without bias.” The ministry urged all sides to exercise "national responsibility” and stressed that disputes "must be resolved through state institutions and the judiciary.”
Underlying tensions
Suwayda24, a local outlet focused on southern Syria’s Druze-majority Suwayda province, on Sunday cited local security officials as linking the violence to “a recent robbery on the Damascus-Suwayda road, which targeted a businessman,” sparking a series of retaliatory kidnappings between the two communities.
Later in the day, SANA reported that internal security forces from neighboring Daraa province had launched an “organized security deployment along the administrative borders” with Suwayda, with aims of “preventing the violence from spreading and to contain any fallout that could impact stability, especially in eastern rural Daraa.”
Suwayda Governor Mustapha al-Bakkour on the same day appealed for calm, urging all sides to “exercise self-restraint and respond to national calls for reform.” Several Druze spiritual leaders echoed his call, demanding de-escalation and intervention from Damascus to restore order.
The current hostilities mark the most significant outbreak of deadly violence in Suwayda since earlier this year, when clashes between Druze groups and Damascus-affiliated security forces resulted in dozens of casualties. While local leaders are reportedly attempting to mediate the current situation, no official intervention has yet been announced.
Kurdish reactions
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeast Syria (Rojava) on Monday condemned “the ongoing attacks and aggressions targeting the villages and towns” of Suwayda, “which have led to the tragic loss of many lives and the burning and looting of numerous civilian homes and farms.
“The repeated attacks on our people in Suwayda, along with the continued harassment they face in their daily lives and freedom of movement, are deeply concerning,” the SDF said.
The US-backed SDF serves as the de facto army in Rojava.
The SDF’s political arm, the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), expressed "deep concern" over the rapidly unfolding events in Suwayda, warning they "pose a serious threat to civil peace and the fabric of national unity." The SDC linked the escalation to the "ongoing absence of a just and comprehensive political solution" for Syria.
The Council further condemned “the involvement of some elements from the Syrian regime’s security apparatus” and their role “in fueling the internal conflict." It also cautioned against "sectarian rhetoric and hate speech."
