SWEIDA: Syrian authorities evacuated Bedouin families from the Druze-dominated city of Sweida on Monday following a ceasefire that halted a week of sectarian violence. The clashes, which began on July 13, left more than 1,100 dead, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
An AFP correspondent witnessed buses and vehicles transporting civilians, including women and children, to reception centres in Daraa province and Damascus. State news agency SANA reported that 1,500 Bedouin tribespeople were being relocated.
The ceasefire, announced on Saturday, took full effect on Sunday after Bedouin and tribal fighters withdrew from parts of Sweida. Druze factions regained control, though tensions remain high. Witnesses and monitors accused government forces of siding with Bedouin groups and committing abuses, including summary executions.
Ahmad Dalati, Sweida’s internal security chief, told state television that the evacuation aimed to “defuse the crisis.” Meanwhile, unidentified bodies piled up at Sweida’s main hospital, with 97 still unclaimed. The UN reported over 128,000 displaced persons, complicating recovery efforts.
Hospitals in Sweida remain overwhelmed, with nurse Hisham Breik describing unbearable conditions. “The dead bodies sent a terrible smell through all the floors,“ he said. The UN warned of public health risks due to unburied corpses and shortages of fuel, food, and medical supplies.
A Red Crescent aid convoy delivered body bags and supplies on Sunday, but humanitarian access remains limited. The ceasefire holds despite sporadic gunfire in northern Sweida. – AFP
