Death toll in Sweida has risen to 37, and Ministry of Defense is deploying large reinforcements

Local sources confirmed that the Ministry of Defense of the transitional government in Syria is actively participating in the ongoing fighting against local Druze militants, reflecting the complexity of the security situation and the multiplicity of parties involved in the conflict.

The ongoing armed clashes have resulted in the deaths of 37 people, including two children, distributed as follows: 27 members of the Druze community, including two children, and 10 members of the Bedouin tribes in Sweida. Approximately 50 people were injured, some of them in critical condition.

As a result of the deteriorating security situation, the Sweida Education Directorate announced the postponement of the religious education exam for high school students in both the science and literature streams, scheduled for Monday, to a date to be announced later.

The village of al-Tira in the Sweida countryside also witnessed a mass exodus towards the towns of al-Mazra'a and Sweida city, following the entry of armed groups into the vicinity of the village and the outbreak of violent clashes that included the burning of several homes. Meanwhile, local groups remain stationed inside the village to protect it from repeated attacks

The clashes extended to the towns of Sami' and Al-Mazra'a, which were subjected to a number of shells. Violent clashes also took place around Labeen and Harran, with local factions confirming their continued resistance to the attacks.

In a dangerous development, armed groups from the Hauran region began sending reinforcements to the outskirts of Sweida to support tribal fighters engaged in clashes with security forces on the outskirts of the city.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that dozens of armed men from the Daraa countryside moved to the areas of clashes in the northern and western countryside of Sweida, amid indications of an escalation of violence in the coming hours.

At the northern entrance to the governorate, violent clashes erupted around the village of "Al-Soura Al-Kabira," where armed groups attacked police checkpoints and fired mortar shells as they attempted to advance toward a security checkpoint.

These clashes resulted in the closure of the Damascus-Sweida road from several directions, most notably the town of Baraq. Security forces also closed the road from the Masmiya checkpoint to ensure the safety of civilians, amid widespread alert in the area.

These developments come against the backdrop of a mutual kidnapping incident between local gunmen and tribal members. This incident followed an armed attack on a young man from Sweida on the main road a few days ago. This led to general tension, kidnappings, and road closures, most notably the main Damascus-Sweida road, which has witnessed a series of violent clashes in recent hours.

For its part, the Men of Dignity Movement called on "the transitional government to assume its full responsibilities in protecting the lives of civilians and securing roads, most notably the Damascus-Sweida road, and to stop the interference of some security and military agencies in fueling the conflict." The movement warned of "the situation slipping into total chaos that threatens the social fabric in the mountains and the region."

Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, the spiritual leader of the Druze community, also called for an immediate ceasefire, warning of a malicious sedition that threatens civil peace and historic coexistence in Jabal al-Arab.

Al-Hijri emphasized the sanctity of Syrian blood and the need to use reason and preserve the dignity and security of all. He called on the transitional government to assume its responsibilities in maintaining security on the Damascus-Sweida road.

He emphasized that the battle is not between the people of Jabal and the tribes, but rather against chaos and sedition, calling for calm and resorting to dialogue.

Sh-S

ANHA