Mass Executions and Forced Displacement of Bedouins in Sweida as Druze Militias Take Over
Druze militias accused of executing civilians and burning homes as Syrian government forces withdraw, triggering mass displacement and escalating sectarian tensions in southern Syria.
Watan-More than 50 civilians from Bedouin tribes were killed in “retaliatory field executions” allegedly carried out by Druze militias, following their expansion and search operations in Sweida, southern Syria. Displaced residents from the area reported intimidation, revenge attacks, and forced displacement, after Syrian government forces withdrew from the province, which has now witnessed dozens of casualties from recent clashes.
According to local sources in Sweida, the retaliatory actions against the Bedouins followed violent confrontations that resulted in the death of over 500 people, including fighters from the Druze, Bedouin tribes, and pro-regime factions loyal to Damascus.
A security source in southern Syria told Al-Quds Al-Arabi that Druze armed groups launched coordinated revenge attacks on eight Bedouin villages near the towns of Thaala, Kanaker, Asliha, and other areas on the outskirts of Sweida, immediately after government security and military forces withdrew from the area.
The Arab Bedouin tribes are known to live in the northern and eastern peripheries of Sweida, including regions such as Harouba, Rajm Al-Zaytoun, Maqous, Brika, Al-Mazraa, Najran, Al-Mansoura, Al-Kafr, Sahwat Al-Balata, and Al-Shaab, among others.
On Thursday, activists circulated graphic videos showing dozens of corpses—men, women, and children—stacked at garbage dumps, with blood dried on the ground. Other videos showed displaced Bedouin families stranded in open desert spaces around Sweida province.
The source added that Thursday morning saw mass displacement of Bedouin tribes in rural Sweida amid threats from armed groups targeting them.
According to local sources speaking to Al Jazeera, more than 1,000 Bedouin civilians are reportedly being held hostage in the town of Shahba. They also noted the displacement of over 500 Bedouin families after their homes were burned by armed groups in Sweida.
In response, Bedouin tribal forces reportedly began massing on Sweida’s western fronts, preparing for counterattacks against the Druze militias. Later, a Bedouin military commander told Reuters that Bedouin fighters launched a fresh assault, stating that the truce applies only to government forces, not to the Bedouins. He confirmed their objective is to liberate Bedouin civilians taken captive by Druze armed factions in recent days.
In the aftermath of the attacks, Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri, a prominent Druze religious leader in Sweida, called for restraint, urging respect for peaceful Bedouin tribes, adherence to Druze customary ethics, and humane treatment of captives.
Although tension in the city of Sweida slightly subsided, residents woke up on Thursday to horrific scenes of massacres against unarmed civilians, widespread destruction, and burned and looted commercial areas.
Field activist Naya Azzam, a resident of Sweida, told Al-Quds Al-Arabi that the early hours of Thursday revealed terrifying stories: dozens of bodies of elderly, children, and unarmed young civilians who were killed in their homes, many others lying in the streets and inside the national hospital. She confirmed massive destruction in homes, shops, and markets, with several businesses either looted or set on fire.
