Renewed Clashes Between Druze Fighters and HTS Forces Shake Suweyda

By Staff, Agencies

Heavy fighting has erupted between Druze factions and militants from Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham [HTS] in Suweyda, deepening the sectarian violence that has spread across Syria under HTS’s rule.

Local outlets reported clashes on multiple fronts in the southern province, with both sides deploying light and heavy weapons. The fiercest confrontations took place near al-Majdal and Rimat Hazem in western Suweyda, where both factions rushed reinforcements as “Israeli” aircraft reportedly circled overhead.

According to Syria’s Al-Ikhbariah, Druze fighters struck HTS positions in Tal Al-Aqra’ and al-Mazra’a. Tensions in the area have been rising since July 13, when disputes over land and resources triggered clashes between Druze groups and armed Bedouin tribes. The violence escalated sharply after HTS deployed its military units to the province on July 14 and pushed into Suweyda city the following day.

Syria’s Druze spiritual leadership later accused HTS of committing serious violations against civilians. Claiming to “support” the Druze, the “Israeli” entity launched airstrikes on July 16 targeting several strategic sites in Damascus, including the Syrian Army General Staff headquarters. Shortly afterward, the HTS defense ministry announced a withdrawal from Suweyda under a ceasefire arrangement.

The renewed instability comes amid the broader national turmoil that followed the fall of President Bashar al-Assad in December last year. HTS — led by Abu Mohammed Al-Julani, a former Al-Qaeda commander — now dominates Syria. Rights groups and residents say its rule has heightened sectarian fractures and fueled violence across the country.

Suweyda has borne some of the worst bloodshed. The province endured a week of heavy clashes beginning July 13, with casualty estimates ranging from 814 to 1,653 — most of them Druze. It remains unclear how many were civilians versus fighters.

The violence reflects a wider pattern that has gripped Syria since Assad’s ouster. According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, nearly 11,000 civilians have died since HTS-led factions seized power in December. Its report documented extensive abuses including kidnappings, torture, summary executions and indiscriminate attacks. Of the 10,955 killed nationwide from December 2024 to October 2025, 8,422 were civilians.

Sectarian attacks on Syria’s Alawite community have intensified in recent months, while HTS-SDF battles persisted in the north until a ceasefire in October. At the same time, the “Israeli” entity has escalated its own airstrikes across Syria, exploiting the country’s political collapse and ongoing insecurity to seize more Syrian land and expand its military footprint.