Clashes continue in Southern Syria as tribal forces surround Suwayda PHOTO/VIDEO

Tribal forces have surrounded the southern Syrian city of Suwayda as fierce clashes continue with armed groups entrenched inside, local sources told Al Jazeera. 

The Syrian government has labeled the groups inside the city as "outlaws," while violence between Bedouin Arab tribes and armed Druze factions has escalated sharply in recent days, Caliber.Az cites Al Jazeera. 

At dawn on July 18, tribal fighters reportedly withdrew from positions they had advanced to within the city, taking up defensive positions on its outskirts. They are said to be awaiting reinforcements from Bedouin tribes across Syria.

Sheikh Abdul Munim al-Nassif, head of the Syrian Tribes and Clans Council, has issued an urgent call for tribal mobilisation to “rescue the residents” of Suwayda, stating that a massacre had been committed against Bedouin civilians in the area.

A Syrian security source told Al Jazeera that the Interior Ministry had been asked to intervene and is currently preparing forces to enter Suwayda to restore order and protect civilians.

The violence intensified following the withdrawal of Syrian defence and security forces, leading to a surge in tit-for-tat attacks. In response, tribal fighters launched a counteroffensive in Suwayda's western countryside, seizing several towns, including Taara, Ad-Dour, and Al-Mazra’a. The offensive came amid reports that armed Druze groups had committed killings and other violations against Bedouin communities.

Syria’s state-run news agency SANA confirmed that "outlaw groups" attacked the al-Maqous neighbourhood—home to Bedouin families—and carried out massacres targeting women and children. The report said many civilians were killed or injured, and several Bedouin homes were set ablaze in both the city and surrounding countryside.

According to Al Jazeera's local sources, more than 1,000 Bedouin civilians are currently being held hostage in the town of Shahba following the withdrawal of government forces. More than 500 Bedouin families have reportedly been displaced after their homes were burned by armed factions.

In an effort to de-escalate tensions, Druze religious leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri called on Damascus to send official forces to mediate and resolve the crisis. In a video address, he appealed for tolerance and rejected any attempts to portray the conflict as sectarian, denying any involvement in acts of incitement or sabotage.

Despite internal calls for calm, al-Hijri previously appealed for international protection for the Druze community during the height of the violence. However, several other Druze sheikhs have publicly rejected foreign intervention, voicing their continued support for the Syrian state.

The Syrian presidency has condemned the violence, blaming “outlaw groups” for violating US-Arab-mediated understandings and launching “horrific attacks.” It also warned that continued Israeli interference in Syria’s internal affairs would further destabilise the region.

The presidency reiterated that safeguarding Syria’s unity and citizens is the responsibility of the state, vowing to take “all necessary measures” to restore security.

By Sabina Mammadli