Bedouin families recently displaced to Sweida leave amid security tensions

ANHA correspondent reported today that Bedouin families, who were displaced to the city of Sweida due to the recent escalation since July 13, left on buses. They entered the city yesterday and this morning, which is controlled by local Druze military forces. They were escorted by Syrian Red Crescent teams.

The convoy, which departed and will head to the Daraa countryside, specifically Busra al-Harir, includes more than 1,500 people. They will then return to their villages, which continue to experience security tensions.

Yesterday evening, the western countryside of the city witnessed extensive Israeli airstrikes targeting several locations, coinciding with a ground attack launched by militants linked to the transitional government forces from several axes against villages and towns in the area.

The raids were concentrated on the road linking the towns of Mazra'a-Ariqa and al-Dour-Mazra'a, as well as the vicinity of the village of Umm Zaytoun and the al-Liwa area near al-Suwaymrah. Meanwhile, the village of Dama was subjected to shelling, likely carried out by drones.

At the same time, Israeli helicopters flew over Sweida, dropping humanitarian aid, amid reports that the transitional government's security forces had withdrawn from some locations after the agreed-upon deadline expired.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported observing large crowds of militants linked to the transitional government in the villages of al-Bustan, Dama, and Najran.

Violent clashes with local Druze military forces occurred in Ariqa and Umm al-Zaytoun, including violations and the burning of homes and property, amid heightened tensions and the closure of the Dama-Ariqa and Najran-Ariqa roads.

Concurrently, a prisoner exchange scheduled for the town of Umm al-Zaytoun faltered after mortar shells fired by forces aligned with the transitional government fell on the town. This temporarily halted the agreement and led to a deterioration in the security situation.

On the ground, local military forces took control of the town of Ariqa, amid a cautious calm that preceded a reassessment of the situation on the ground.

In the latest toll from the clashes, the death toll since July 13 has risen to 1,120, distributed, according to the Syrian Observatory, as follows:

531 people from Sweida, including 104 civilians (6 children and 16 women).

373 personnel from the Ministries of Defense and Public Security, including 18 tribal members and a Lebanese militant.

15 personnel from the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Interior were killed in Israeli shelling.

Three victims, including a woman, were killed in the bombing of the Ministry of Defense building.

One journalist was killed while covering the clashes.

194 people were executed in the field, including 28 women and 8 children.

Three tribal members, including a child and a woman.

Appeals continue from within Sweida to stop the fighting, amid fears of a complete collapse of the humanitarian and security situation, and calls for an urgent international role to protect civilians and halt the violence.

Sh-S

ANHA