Syria Deploys Forces in Sweida After Dozens Killed in Bedouin-Druze Clashes

At least 90 people have been killed in recent clashes between Sunni Bedouin tribes and Druze fighters in Syria's southern province of Sweida, prompting deployment of Syrian security forces to the area. The violence reportedly began when a Druze vegetable vendor was seized by armed Bedouins on the highway connecting Sweida to Damascus, leading to retaliatory abductions and escalating conflict across several villages. The Syrian defense and interior ministries have intervened with military units, aiming to establish safe corridors for civilians and restore order amid ongoing sporadic fighting. The clashes have exposed challenges for interim President Ahmad Al Sharaa's administration in maintaining security in a country still recovering from 14 years of civil war. Reports indicate the Syrian army has engaged directly with Druze militias, including incidents of ambushes causing casualties among Syrian troops. Additionally, Internal Security Forces have been deployed along the Daraa-Sweida border as the conflict spreads to nearby villages, highlighting the broader instability in the region.