Violence reignited Sunday in Syria’s Druze-majority Suwayda province, shattering a fragile cease-fire reached just weeks ago and plunging the region back into chaos.
Fighting broke out between Druze militias and government forces, killing at least four people and injuring several others, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).
The clashes mark a sharp escalation in a conflict that killed more than 1,400 people last month and has displaced roughly 190,000 civilians.
The state-run SANA news agency blamed “lawless Druze groups” for violating the cease-fire by launching mortar and heavy weapons attacks on villages under government control.
The Syrian Interior Ministry accused local factions of treacherous assaults against security forces, which resulted in casualties and damage across several areas.
SOHR reported that three government security personnel died during clashes near Tal Hadid – a strategically important village in western Suwayda that overlooks the surrounding territory and that a local fighter also died.
Government forces have since retaken control of Tal Hadid and other contested sites, state media confirmed.
Suwayda erupted into violence last month when tensions between armed groups.
The government sent troops to calm the situation, but its forces were accused of heavy-handed tactics against the Druze. Israel even launched strikes on Syrian targets, citing protection of the Druze community.
Meanwhile, the U.S.-backed PKK/YPG terrorist group clashed with government troops near Manbij in northern Syria.
The Defence Ministry said the YPG fired rockets injuring civilians, while the YPG accused government troops of attacking residential neighborhoods unprovoked.
Locals in Suwayda say the government has imposed a de facto siege, blocking the main road connecting the province to Damascus since late July. Damascus blames Druze militias for the blockade, but independent observers say government-allied groups control the area and restrict travel. United Nations aid convoys have struggled to reach those in need, and the humanitarian corridor was temporarily closed Sunday following cease-fire violations.
Since the fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad earlier this year, hopes for stability have been dashed by ongoing battles.
The government has promised investigations into the July violence in Suwayda, with a committee convening its first meeting Saturday. But for now, Suwayda remains a volatile tinderbox – a grim reminder that Syria’s post-Assad transition is far from peaceful.
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