Clashes subside in Suweida after days of fighting between Druze factions and Syrian forces

The intensity of clashes in the western sector of Suweida city, in southern Syria, eased on Thursday after days of fighting between Druze factions loyal to Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri and Syrian government security forces.

The violence, concentrated along the Walgha road axis west of Suweida, erupted earlier this week when government forces accused the Druze-led National Guard militia of breaching a fragile truce and targeting security positions.

A Syrian security source told local outlets that "rebel factions in Suweida violated the ceasefire on the Walgha axis and attacked security points," adding that "internal security forces in Suweida responded to the source of fire and struck the rebels’ positions".

Sources quoted by The New Arab's Arabic edition Al-Araby al-Jadeed said one fighter from the Druze milita's self-proclaimed "National Guard" was killed early Thursday by a drone strike carried out by Syrian government forces, while at least seven others were injured by gunfire and shrapnel in the west of the city.

By Thursday morning, the exchange of fire had largely subsided, though intermittent bursts from heavy machine guns were still heard across Suweida.

Local sources accused the government’s internal security forces of "repeatedly breaching" the truce in Suweida’s western countryside.

In a statement, the Druze militias denied launching any attack and said that its units had "repelled suspicious movements" by "government-affiliated groups" near Walgha village.

They claimed that "no orders were issued to attack or advance on any front", and urged its fighters to "adhere fully to the ceasefire and maintain their previous positions".

It added that "local groups from western Suweida advanced to reclaim their occupied villages", calling on fighters to "act responsibly and comply with the internationally agreed truce" to prevent what it called "criminal gangs" from exploiting the situation to justify further escalation.

The Walgha crossing, west of Suweida, has become a focal point for humanitarian deliveries, prisoner exchanges and medical evacuations under the supervision of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and international organisations.

Despite repeated ceasefire announcements since July, the area has witnessed recurrent flare-ups between local Druze factions and government forces.

Suweida has effectively been outside Damascus’s control since mid-July, when a week of intense fighting between Druze militias loyal to al-Hijri and armed Bedouin groups left hundreds of people dead.

The conflict widened after government intervention was rejected by al-Hijri, deepening mistrust between the Druze leadership and the central government.

Efforts to stabilise the province have since involved regional and international mediation. A meeting held in Amman in September, attended by Syria, Jordan and the United States, produced a roadmap calling for the withdrawal of government-affiliated armed groups from Suweida’s borders, the deployment of trained police forces, and the facilitation of humanitarian access through UN agencies.

While Thursday’s lull brought temporary calm, local media warned that tensions remain high and that further violations of the ceasefire cannot be ruled out.