At least 30 people have been killed following intense clashes between Druze militias and Sunni Bedouin tribal fighters in Suweida, a mainly Druze city in southern Syria.
The violence broke out on Sunday, just days after a Druze merchant was reportedly abducted on the road connecting Suweida to Damascus.
According to Syria’s interior ministry, the unrest marks a major breakdown in local security.
The ministry said that the violence started in the al-Maqwas neighborhood of Suweida, an area populated by Bedouin tribespeople.
Armed Druze groups reportedly surrounded and later took control of the area, sparking a broader conflict that quickly spread to other parts of the province.
In retaliation, Bedouin fighters reportedly launched attacks on Druze-populated towns and villages located on the western and northern edges of Suweida city.
Shelling was reported in the towns of Sumay and Mazraah, while residents of Tayrah village fled after gunmen entered the area and set several homes on fire.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based group monitoring the conflict, reported 37 deaths in total — 27 Druze, including two children, and 10 Bedouin.
The interior ministry announced that it had started coordinating with the defense ministry to deploy forces to Suweida in order to stop the fighting and restore order.
Officials blamed the deteriorating situation on the absence of functioning government institutions in the area.
The governor of Suweida urged residents to avoid further violence. Several Druze religious leaders also appealed to communities to help stop the unrest.
On Sunday night, local outlet Suwayda 24 reported that community leaders had begun talks to ease tensions. Some kidnapped individuals were reportedly released.
However, fighting resumed on Monday in the western countryside of Suweida after drone attacks and movements by government forces in nearby Deraa province.
This latest violence follows deadly clashes in May that left more than 130 people dead in both Suweida and Damascus.