10 killed in fighting in Syrian province of Suweida: SOHR

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 10 people died after fighting between supporters and opponents of the regime erupted in the southern province of Suweida on Tuesday.

MENA

1 min read

The New Arab Staff & Agencies

26 July, 2022

At least ten people have been killed in villages in Druze-majority Suweida province [Getty]

Gunmen supporting Syria's regime and others opposed to Damascus clashed in the southern Syrian province of Suweida on Tuesday, killing at least 10 people, a war monitor said.

Six loyalists and four anti-regime fighters lost their lives after clashes erupted in two villages in the Druze-majority province, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said.

#SOHR
Al-Suwaydaa security chaos | Clashes between local gunmen and Military Security groups leave casualtieshttps://t.co/gJhc0qef26
— المرصد السوري لحقوق الإنسان (@syriahr) July 26, 2022

Tensions had been rising since Monday, after the abduction of two people critical of the regime.

The Druze, who made up around four percent of Syria's pre-war population, have largely kept out of the country's civil war since it started in 2011, although Suweida province has seen anti-regime demonstrations and activism.

The has been spared most of the fighting, though local forces had to repel limited rebel attacks in 2013 and 2015, and a jihadist rampage in 2018 killed more than 250 people.

Regime institutions and security forces are present in the province, while Syrian troops are deployed not far from its provincial borders.