At least 18 killed in clashes between Druze, Bedouin tribes in Syria’s Sweida

Clashes between Druze residents and Bedouin tribes in the southern Syrian city of Sweida have left at least eighteen people dead and dozens wounded, local media reported on Sunday.

The violence broke out in the Maqus neighborhood, east of Sweida city, amid reports of armed confrontations and mutual shelling, according to the local outlet Sweida 24, which cited medical sources for the initial casualty toll.

Some local news outlets have reported that the clashes were sparked by a temporary kidnapping of a merchant on the Damascus–Sweida highway on Saturday, during which he was robbed. The incident reportedly escalated into a series of retaliatory kidnappings involving the merchant’s relatives and members of Bedouin tribes inside Sweida province, with failed efforts to contain the growing tension.

The Governor of Sweida called on all parties to exercise restraint and respond to national appeals for reform. He warned that the state “will not tolerate any threat to citizens or violations of their rights,” and cautioned against efforts to ignite sectarian strife in the province.