Withdrawal of Syrian Forces from Sweida Amid Conflict

On July 17, Damascus experienced a significant shift as Syrian government forces withdrew from the southern province of Sweida after intense clashes with Druze minority militias.

According to a ceasefire agreement made a day prior, which largely brought a halt to the hostilities, Druze factions and clerics were tasked with maintaining internal security in Sweida. This was confirmed by Syria's interim President, Ahmad al-Sharaa, during an early broadcast. The violent confrontations threatened to derail Syria's postwar political transition, prompting military intervention by neighboring Israel, which targeted the Syrian Defense Ministry in Damascus, citing protection of the Druze minority as its motive.

A ceasefire deal, facilitated by the United States, Turkey, and Arab nations, was brokered between Druze leaders and Syrian government representatives. Government forces began withdrawing from Sweida under cover of night, as declared by Syrian state media, marking the cessation of military operations against the Druze factions.

The viability of the ceasefire remained uncertain after the Interior Ministry and a Druze religious figure announced it. A previous accord faltered due to opposition from significant Druze cleric Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri. The conflict in Syria was sparked by a series of kidnappings and attacks between Sunni Bedouin tribes and Druze factions in Sweida, leading to government forces clashing with Druze militias and, at times, targeting civilians.

Although the Syrian government did not provide casualty figures, rights organizations and monitors reported numerous fatalities on both sides, including a notable number of Druze civilians in sectarian attacks. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in Britain, reported at least 374 deaths among combatants and civilians due to the clashes and Israeli strikes. Footage circulated on social media depicted government forces and allies mistreating Druze clerics and residents, looting homes, and killing civilians sheltering inside.

Al-Sharaa addressed the nation, pledging to hold those responsible accountable. He emphasized the Druze community's integral role in the country and the state's commitment to justice for everyone. The Druze community, previously divided on al-Sharaa's Islamist regime following the ousting of Bashar Assad's dictatorship, feared persecution amid past attacks from Islamic State and al-Qaeda affiliates during Syria's grueling 14-year civil war.

While initially inclined towards diplomatic solutions, confidence in the regime waned over time, especially after targeted attacks on the Alawite minority during a February counterinsurgency teetered the coastal province. The Druze religious sect, originating in the 10th century as an offshoot of Ismailism, accounts for more than half of the approximately 1 million Druze worldwide residing in Syria, with significant communities in Lebanon and Israel, including the annexed Golan Heights.

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