Syrian tribal fighters circle Sweida on mission to disarm Druze 'gang'

On the convoy fleeing Sweida, the devastated city in southern Syria, mothers clutched their children tightly on their laps, while elderly passengers stared blankly through the windows, their tired eyes devoid of expression.

The convoy moved under heavy security, accompanied by civil defence units and UN operatives. Dispatched on Tuesday night by Syrian authorities, the dozens of buses were part of a fragile ceasefire deal reached on Saturday between Druze militias and Bedouin fighters, allowing humanitarian convoys to exit the city.

Security forces stationed in Busra Al Harir, a village on the outskirts of Sweida where a checkpoint has been set up, said the convoy was carrying mostly Christian families. Druze families were also among them, the women identifiable by their traditional white veils.

The buses were packed with exhausted families who have barely survived days of relentless gunfire and indiscriminate shelling.

For the families being evacuated, it was supposed to be the end of a harrowing ordeal that began more than a week ago as a local dispute between Bedouin and Druze fighters. The clashes spiralled into indiscriminate bloodshed, prompting Syrian government forces to intervene.

The Syrian forces were accused of siding with the Bedouin, amid widespread reports of violations against Druze civilians. After a ceasefire that followed strikes by Israel, the Druze were accused of rekindling the fighting with new attacks.

Fighters gather

Before the convoy departed, dozens of armed Bedouin fighters and members of other clans had gathered near the Busra Al Harir checkpoint, determined to re-enter the area. The fighters blamed the violence on Druze factions loyal to Sheikh Hikmat Al Hijri, one of the community’s spiritual leaders.

“We are not sectarian people. We completely reject sectarianism. Our issue is only with Al Hijri and his gang,” Sheikh Samer Al Hamoud, a member of one of the clans out in force that day, told The National.

Hours later, the humanitarian convoy came under fire.

The crackling of gunfire joined the wail of sirens, as dozens of armed tribesmen shot at the last bus in the convoy, reportedly angry that it was not carrying members of their community.

The bus eventually broke through the hostile crowd, escorted by security forces as gunfire sounded overhead. One civilian was wounded. The National could not verify which group opened fire.

Clashes inside Sweida have stopped, but sporadic violence continues on the outskirts, where government forces have redeployed and sealed off access.

Armed tribesmen also remain deployed on the outskirts of Sweida. Thousands had responded last week to a call to arms against Druze factions entrenched in the southern Syrian city. They say they come from across the country, from Aleppo, Homs and even Deir Ezzor.

In Busra Al Harir, weapons are everywhere. Armed men wander in the streets, their rifles casually swinging over their shoulders. Their ammunition belts hang on their chest like necklaces.

“All the tribes are here, without exception. Every Syrian tribe and clan is now present around Sweida,” Mr Al Hamoud said.

Interim President Ahmad Al Shara, viewed as more sympathetic to the Bedouin, called on them to withdraw from the city, saying they “cannot take the place of the state in managing national affairs and restoring security”. He vowed to protect the Druze minority.

“We thank the Bedouin for their heroic stances but demand they fully commit to the ceasefire and comply with the state’s orders,” he said on Saturday.

But tribesmen said they were determined to remain until Mr Al Hijri’s group is fully disarmed, while insisting they would not surrender their own weapons.

He has rejected the ceasefire and accused government forces and tribal fighters of looting and carrying out massacres. He has also refused to allow authorities to re-enter the city, despite the truce agreed between Damascus and Druze leaders.

“It is very clear: either Al Hijri and his group surrender their weapons and the institutions to the state, or the tribal forces will remain,” said Mr Al Hamoud.

'We're civilians'

Mr Al Hamoud is a member of the Akidat, the largest tribe from Deir Ezzor, which has been involved in fighting against the Kurdish-led administration in north-eastern Syria.

They were also part of the offensive that led to the fall of the Assad regime in December, he said, while stressing that they have not joined the Syrian military.

“You see us, we’re all tribes, all of us are civilians,” he said, pointing to a young man in military fatigues carrying a rifle.

While Mr Al Shara has pledged to integrate all former factions into its security forces, many armed groups are still operating independently, outside state control. Syria expert Mouayad Albonni said tensions between Druze and Bedouin communities have historic roots that deepened during Syria’s civil war, taking on sectarian and political dimensions.

He said the refusal of many fighters to withdraw despite calls to do so “exposes serious cracks in President Al Shara's authority", which he described as worrying. “One of the main reasons Al Shara was brought in was to prevent chaos, and he has shown he is unwilling or unable to contain it or impose authority even on the factions most closely aligned with him," he said.

Mr Al Hamoud said the tribes seek peace, not war, and denied any violations had been committed against Druze civilians. But just a few kilometres away, beyond the newly established security perimeter, Druze-majority villages lie in ruins.

In Mazraa, most buildings have been torched and looted, while the streets are lined with charred vehicles. Graffiti on the walls read “Druze pigs” and “Down with the collaborators”.

The Druze, a religious minority whose beliefs derive from a branch of Islam, also have communities in Lebanon and Israel. Israel has portrayed itself as a protector of the Druze and has intervened in the current conflict, targeting Syrian government forces it accused of attacking the Druze.

In Sweida, witnesses have shared harrowing testimonies of violations against Druze civilians. Residents are now trapped inside the city, with limited access to water and food.

Asked about widespread reports of violations against Druze civilians, Interior Ministry spokesman Noureedin al Baba said that there are reports of violations against the Bedouin that are far “worse than what happened to Druze civilians”.

“The government of the Syrian Arab Republic views all civilians equally and is responsible for holding accountable anyone who commits wrongdoing or abuses,” he added.

The Hijri militia has also been accused of violence and retaliatory attacks against Bedouin communities. Displacement centres are sheltering Bedouin civilians who fled threats from Druze militiamen. Many said they left in a hurry and are forced to sleep in the open, surviving without any assistance.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitor, said at least 1,120 people have been killed since July 13, including civilians from both sides, as well as fighters from Bedouin groups, Druze militias and government forces. The National could not independently verify the death toll.

While Mr Al Hamoud chose his words carefully, avoiding sectarian rhetoric, the line often blurred among fighters interviewed. One of the tribesmen gathered in Busra Al Harir said he believes all Druze civilians to be aligned with Mr Al Hijri.

"We do not seek injustice, and we do not generalise against the entire Druze sect," he said. "But Al Hijri is the one speaking in the name of all Druze."