Following a week of violent tribal clashes in southern Syria, a fragile ceasefire has allegedly brought a "cautious calm" to Suweida. Despite the reduction in fighting, the humanitarian situation is dire due to a severe shortage of medical supplies, with calls for immediate aid ringing out amidst the aftermath of conflict.
Cautious Calm Settles in Suweida Amid Ongoing Medical Crisis
Cautious Calm Settles in Suweida Amid Ongoing Medical Crisis
After deadly tribal clashes, a ceasefire brings brief respite to Suweida, but medical supplies run critically low.
A "cautious calm" has settled over the city of Suweida in southern Syria after a week marked by brutal tribal clashes involving Druze fighters, Bedouin gunmen, and government forces. Reports from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), based in the UK, indicate that the unrest began to subside on Sunday following the announcement of a ceasefire by Syria's president on Saturday. The situation escalated dramatically over the past week, resulting in over 1,000 casualties and a critical lack of medical supply in the city, as reported by SOHR.
Witnesses noted that the fighting came to a halt early Sunday morning, although the ceasefire did not immediately end clashes. Government forces imposed roadblocks around Suweida to hinder tribal movements, allowing only ambulances to pass. Despite the withdrawal of Bedouin fighters from prominent areas of the city, control remains predominantly in the hands of local Druze factions.
The catalyst for the intense violence arose from the abduction of a Druze merchant near Damascus, erupting into deadly sectarian confrontations between the Druze and Bedouin communities. Allegations of human rights abuses have surfaced against both groups during this turbulent period.
While reports indicated that local Druze fighters had effectively forced Bedouin gunmen out of the city, pockets of violence persisted in surrounding areas, leaving many uncertain about the prospect of prolonged peace. On the humanitarian front, conditions in Suweida are deteriorating, with a noted lack of vital medical resources. An individual within the community expressed urgent need for aid, emphasizing the suffocating challenge created by the overwhelming number of bodies in local hospitals.
With hospitals overwhelmed and local medical systems on the brink of failure, the urgent calls for substantive intervention from humanitarian groups continue. As cities around Syria grapple with the fallout of such conflicts, the situation in Suweida exemplifies the desperate need for medical supplies and aid in the wake of civil strife.
