• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Renewed fighting erupts between Druze, HTS forces in Sweida: Report

Iran Press TV

Friday, 14 November 2025 6:54 AM

Heavy clashes have reportedly erupted between armed elements affiliated with Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Druze fighters in Sweida, amid the deepening sectarian violence that has spread across Syria under HTS rule.

Local media reported intense fighting on several fronts in the southern province, with both light and heavy weapons used.

The heaviest confrontations were reported around al-Majdal and Rimat Hazem in western Sweida. Both sides were reported to be sending reinforcements, while Israeli aircraft were seen patrolling the skies above the area, according to reports.

Syria's al-Ikhbariah, citing a security source, said Druze fighters targeted positions held by HTS forces in Tal al-Aqra' and al-Mazra'a.

Tensions in southern Syria have been escalating since July 13, when clashes broke out between Druze fighters and armed Bedouin tribes over land and resources in the province.

The violence worsened significantly after the HTS military was deployed to the province on July 14 and entered Sweida city itself on July 15, according to residents, two war monitors and reporters on the ground.

Later, the spiritual leadership of Syria's Druze said that the HTS forces had committed serious violations during the conflict.

Claiming to support the Druze, the Israeli regime launched airstrikes on July 16 against several strategic sites in Damascus, including the Syrian Army General Staff headquarters.

Hours later, the HTS defense ministry announced the full withdrawal of its forces from Sweida under a ceasefire agreement.

The spike in unrest came against a broader backdrop of instability that has gripped the country since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad in December last year.

Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led by former al-Qaeda commander Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, now rules Syria. Rights groups and residents say the HTS administration has intensified sectarian divisions and fueled waves of violence across provinces.

Sweida saw some of the most deadly incidents. The province witnessed a week of bloody clashes beginning July 13, with estimates of the death toll ranging from 814 to 1,653.

Most of the victims were Druze, though it remains unclear how many were civilians or fighters.

The violence forms part of a pattern seen across Syria since Assad's fall. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported nearly 11,000 civilian deaths since militant factions led by HTS seized power in December.

It documented widespread abuses, including field executions, torture, kidnappings and indiscriminate attacks. The monitor said 8,422 civilians were among the 10,955 people killed nationwide from December 2024 to October 2025.

Sectarian attacks have also targeted Syria's Alawite community in recent months, while clashes between HTS and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces continued in the north until a ceasefire in October.

The Israeli regime, meanwhile, has escalated its own strikes across the country, exploiting Syria's post-Assad instability to grab more land from the Arab country.