Druze divided over post-Assad era in Syria

Sky News special correspondent Alex Crawford reported from Sweida in Syria, where she witnessed bodies mutilated, burned, and decomposing after a week of intense fighting. Government security forces were redeployed to enforce a ceasefire brokered by the US, amid fears of further clashes. The conflict involves the Druze religious sect and other factions in Syria, resulting in hundreds of casualties.

The Druze sect, an offshoot of Ismailism, is a branch of Shiite Islam with around half of its one million followers in Syria, and others in Lebanon and Israel, including the Golan Heights. The Druze had mixed reactions to the ousting of Bashar al Assad and were divided over interim president Ahmad al Sharaa, a former militant associated with al Qaeda.

Violence erupted in Sweida following clashes between Druze militias and local Sunni Muslim Bedouin tribes. The conflict began with the kidnapping of a Druze vendor by a Bedouin tribe, leading to retaliatory attacks. The situation escalated, prompting calls for intervention from Israel. Israeli airstrikes targeted Syrian government troops, who initially aimed to restore order but ended up supporting the Bedouins.

A ceasefire was negotiated, allowing Druze factions to maintain security in Sweida as government forces withdrew. However, clashes between Druze and Arab factions persisted. The US expressed disapproval of Israeli strikes and the Syrian government's troop withdrawal. Syrian leader Sharaa emphasized the unity of Syria and vowed to protect all minorities in the country.

The situation in Sweida has somewhat stabilized, but remains fragile. The conflict's impact is not confined to southern Syria, as violence spreads to northern regions, raising concerns of civil war escalation.