Druze and Sunni Bedouin Clashes Kill Over 30 in Syria
Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
Deadly clashes have erupted in Sweida, Syria, between Bedouin Sunni tribes and the embattled Druze community. These latest confrontations are likely to exacerbate the vulnerability of Syria’s religious minorities, including Alawites, Christians, Druze, and others.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), at least 37 people were killed, and many others were injured in the violence.
Earlier this year, a brutal massacre claimed the lives of over 1,700 people. The attack, carried out by Sunni Islamist militants, targeted members of the minority Alawite sect.
According to the SOHR, “…security forces and allied groups killed over 1,700 civilians, the vast majority of them Alawites, during several days of violence that erupted on March 6.”
Tensions between the Druze and Bedouin communities escalated rapidly, fueled by the broader climate of fear and instability gripping Syria.
AP News reports, “The observatory said the clashes had started after a series of kidnappings between both groups, which began when members of a Bedouin tribe in the area set up a checkpoint where they attacked and robbed a young Druze man.”
In recent times, the Druze have found themselves in conflict with the Sunni Islamist-aligned power brokers in Damascus. As a result, the deployment of forces they deeply distrust to Sweida offers little reassurance to the Druze community.
The BBC reports, “At the end of last year, Sunni Islamist-rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) stormed Damascus. They toppled President Bashar al-Assad, whose family had ruled the country for 54 years.”
Modern Tokyo Times recently said: “The ongoing religious and political turmoil in Syria is being quietly supported by both Gulf and Western powers through a combination of diplomatic, economic, and political strategies. This backing persists despite a series of brutal attacks on Alawites, as well as massacres targeting Christians and the Druze community. As a result, these external actors appear increasingly willing to engage with, or even accommodate, the growing influence of Islamist power brokers within Syria.”
Last month, Christian worshippers gathered at Saint Elias Church in a moment of prayer and reflection, seeking peace and spiritual connection. Tragically, their sanctuary was shattered when two ISIS-affiliated Islamist extremists carried out a brutal attack. At least 22 Christians were killed, and many others injured, in what stands as a deeply senseless act of terror.
Amid Syria’s evolving landscape, religious minorities and secularists face growing uncertainty and profound risks to their safety and way of life.
The Kurdish question also remains.
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