NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / World

Sectarian clashes between Druze and Bedouin militias have killed at least 30 people

By Abbie Cheeseman, Suzan Haidamous, Mohamad El Chamaa
Washington Post·
14 Jul, 2025 09:44 PM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Deadly Sweida clashes kill dozens as Druze-Bedouin tensions erupt again in Syria. Photo / Getty Images

Deadly Sweida clashes kill dozens as Druze-Bedouin tensions erupt again in Syria. Photo / Getty Images

The Israeli military said it hit Syrian tanks in the southern province of Sweida after Syrian government troops deployed to the area during a wave of deadly sectarian violence between the Druze minority and Bedouin clans.

At least 18 Syrian troops were killed, Syrian state television reported.

The Syrian Government did not immediately comment on the Israeli strikes on its military, and the brief Israeli military statement did not say how many tanks were hit.

In the months since rebel leader now President Ahmed al-Sharaa (formerly known by his nom de guerre, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani) took power in December and became Syria’s new president, Israel has sought to cast itself as the protector of the Druze faith in Syria.

It is capitalising on a sense of mistrust among members of minority sects towards the Islamist-run government. Israel has taken an aggressive stance towards Syria’s new leaders as it seeks to keep the Syrian military away from Israeli borders.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Israel has threatened to intervene in Syria in defence of the Druze and has said it will not allow the Syrian military to deploy south of the capital, Damascus. The strikes were launched after the Syrian Government sent troops to Sweida today NZT to restore order as sectarian clashes entered a second day.

The Israeli military said it struck the Syrian tanks because their presence in southern Syria “may pose a threat to the State of Israel”. The tanks were advancing towards Sweida, the statement said, and the strikes were targeted to stop their arrival in the area.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement that the strikes were a “message and a clear warning to the Syrian regime - we will not allow harm to be done to the Druze community in Syria”.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The clashes in the Druze-majority city of Sweida initially broke out yesterday in the Maqous neighbourhood, Syria’s Interior Ministry said. It marked the first time that months of simmering tensions in the wider province had reached the city itself.

More than 30 people were killed and nearly 100 were injured, according to a preliminary count from the ministry. The clashes expanded as local armed groups began fighting the government forces.

Khalid Nemer, a Druze activist in Sweida, said at least 150 Druze have been killed in the clashes. The Washington Post could not independently verify the toll.

“The situation is very bad. Since the morning, there have been attempts to storm several axes by government forces, as well as shelling operations and armed clashes,” said Rayan Maarouf, a researcher from Sweida who runs the local news site Sweida 24.

Some Druze have described the government intervention as an attack on the Druze people, rather than an effort to restore order.

“They entered the administrative borders last night under the pretext of protection, but they proceeded to bombard our people in the border villages and supported the takfiri gangs with their heavy weapons and drones,” influential Druze spiritual leader Hikmat Hijiri said in a statement, using a term for radical Islamist groups.

While Hijiri has vehemently opposed the new Islamist authorities, Druze spiritual leaders in Syria called for calm today and urged Damascus to intervene.

“Blood is everywhere from both sides,” said a 34-year-old Druze resident of Sweida, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for safety reasons.

People were sequestered in their homes “in a state of panic” because of the fighting, she said, adding that she fled the city and headed to Iraq today.

The violence began when a Druze businessman was ambushed, robbed and humiliated with sectarian slurs by an armed group, according to Malik Abu al-Khair, the leader of the Druze al-Liwa party in Syria.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Local reports said the incident sparked tit-for-tat kidnappings between Druze and members of a Bedouin tribe before the clashes broke out.

Syrian government troops went to Sweida to “begin a direct intervention”, the Interior Ministry said.

Efforts to integrate the armed factions of Syrian minorities - including the Druze and the Kurds - into the new Syrian military have continually hit stumbling blocks since the overthrow of the regime of Bashar al-Assad last year.

Anas Khattab, Syria’s Interior Minister, said in a statement that the “absence of state institutions, especially military and security institutions, is a major cause of the ongoing tensions in Sweida and its countryside”.

“The only solution is to reactivate these institutions to ensure civil peace,” he said.

The ongoing violence follows deadly incidents in April and May in which dozens were killed on the outskirts of Damascus and Sweida in clashes between Druze gunmen and Islamist militants backing the new Syrian government.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The fighting prompted Israeli intervention with several strikes in support of the Druze, including one near the presidential palace in Damascus.

Some Syrian Druze distanced themselves from the Israeli action, while others, such as Hijiri, welcomed it, telling the Washington Post in May that Israel was “not the enemy”.

The violence subsided after a deal was reached to put Druze fighters in charge of security in Sweida.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from World

World

Russia launches 400 drones, missile in latest Ukraine assault

World

US agents seize $16m in crypto tied to Sinaloa cartel in major busts

World

LA protests: Pentagon pulls back half of guard troops


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from World

Russia launches 400 drones, missile in latest Ukraine assault
World

Russia launches 400 drones, missile in latest Ukraine assault

The attacks left one woman dead and more than two dozen people wounded.

16 Jul 09:28 AM
US agents seize $16m in crypto tied to Sinaloa cartel in major busts
World

US agents seize $16m in crypto tied to Sinaloa cartel in major busts

16 Jul 08:33 AM
LA protests: Pentagon pulls back half of guard troops
World

LA protests: Pentagon pulls back half of guard troops

16 Jul 08:24 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP