Clashes between Syrian forces and Druze militias continue in Suweida

Syrian government forces and militias loyal to Druze leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri clashed on Thursday in the southern Syrian province of Suweida, bringing fighting between the two sides into a third consecutive day.

Battles took place in the areas of al-Majdal, al-Naql, Tal Hadid, al-Tha'la. Najran, Ara, Atil, and Salim in Suweida's western countryside, sources told The New Arab's Arabic-language sister site, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

An unspecified number of Hijri's forces were killed, according to the reports, while some government forces were also injured in the clashes. Both sides have sent reinforcements to the areas where the fighting has taken place.

Syria's official SANA news agency reported after midnight on Thursday, citing a security source,  that "criminal gangs" had targeted several towns in Suweida's countryside with mortar shells and machine gun fire.

Suweida governor Mustafa al-Bakour said in a statement on Telegram that the clashes were started by "undisciplined armed factions" who had targeted security forces in a bid to destabilise the area. Al-Bakour urged residents to stand against attempts to undermine the security situation.

Suleiman Abdul Baqi, head of the security directorate in the city of Suweida, also urged residents not to be swayed by "rumours and lies" alleging that security forces had violated the ceasefire or targeted civilians.

The latest clashes follow a similar incident on Saturday, when Hijri-aligned militias killed a member of the Syrian security forces.

Tensions have persisted in Suweida, where government forces and Druze militias fought in July, leaving dozens dead on both sides.

Kurdish officials review negotiations with Damascus

Kurdish officials in Syria's northeast met on Thursday to discuss the stalled negotiations regarding the autonomous government's integration with the administration in Damascus, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said on X.

Among those in attendance were SDF leader Mazloum Abdi and members of the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES). 

The meeting held, which emphasised that "national dialogue is the most successful path to achieving stability", focused on pushing forward with the 10 March agreement with Damascus.

The agreement signed by Abdi and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa relates to the integration SDF into Syria's military.

The deal, however, has stalled due to disagreements over its implementation, including the degree to which the SDF will be integrated into the army and the level of autonomy retained by the Kurdish-led administration in northeastern Syria.