Syria president announces ‘immediate ceasefire’ in Sweida after days of bloodshed

Tribal and Bedouin fighters in al-Dur village in Syria's Druze-majority southern Sweida governorate as they mobilize amid clashes with Druze gunmen on July 18, 2025. (OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP)
Tribal and Bedouin fighters in al-Dur village in Syria's Druze-majority southern Sweida governorate as they mobilize amid clashes with Druze gunmen on July 18, 2025. (OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP)

The office of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa announces an “immediate ceasefire” in Sweida following days of bloodshed in the predominantly Druze area that has left over 700 people dead.

The presidency calls on “all parties to fully respect” the truce.

The United States announced yesterday that Israel and Syria have agreed to a ceasefire. There has been no comment from the Prime Minister’s Office.

Deadly violence has plagued Sweida province since Sunday, as Druze fighters clashed with Sunni Bedouin tribes, who were later joined by government forces.

On Wednesday, Israel launched airstrikes in Damascus, while also hitting government forces in the south, demanding they withdraw and saying that Israel aimed to protect Syrian Druze — part of a small but influential minority group that also has followers in Lebanon and Israel.

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