Tense Calm Returns to Sweida Following Bedouin Withdrawal and U.S. Call for Ceasefire

Residents in the southern Syrian city of Sweida reported a fragile calm on Sunday, following the withdrawal of Bedouin fighters and renewed international pressure, including calls from the United States, for an end to the hostilities that have gripped the region for over a week.

According to reports from the city’s outskirts, the sound of gunfire had ceased by Sunday morning. A Druze community source confirmed that most districts in the predominantly Druze city remained calm. However, the humanitarian situation on the ground remains dire.

Kenan Azzam, a local dentist, described the atmosphere as one of “tense calm.” Speaking to Reuters by phone, he noted, “The hospitals are a disaster and out of service, and there are still so many dead and wounded. People are struggling without water and electricity.”

The violence erupted last week following clashes between Bedouin and Druze fighters, prompting the Damascus-based Islamist-led government to deploy troops to suppress the unrest. However, government forces were accused of carrying out widespread violations against the Druze population, further escalating tensions. The situation intensified when Israeli airstrikes reportedly targeted regime positions, compelling Syrian forces to withdraw under the terms of a fragile truce brokered on Wednesday.

The Syrian presidency announced a renewed ceasefire early Saturday, but the truce quickly broke down, giving way to sporadic renewed fighting. The developments underscore the challenges interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa faces in asserting control over a deeply divided nation, still reeling from years of civil war and sectarian strife.

As Sweida enters a precarious phase of calm, concerns remain over the sustainability of peace and the deteriorating humanitarian conditions affecting civilians caught in the crossfire.