Over 1,100 Killed in the Past Week in Syria’s Suwayda, Calm May Not Last

Sunday saw relative calm return to the Suwayda Governorate in southern Syria, after a solid week of fighting among the Druze and Bedouins left in excess of 1,100 documented deaths so far and a final toll that is likely to be even higher.

A majority of the slain were Druze, both combatants and civilians, as government forces deployed to the area carried out summary executions of the Druze. According to the last count, 298 Druze civilians were killed, including 194 summarily executed.

Druze forces also summarily executed at least three Bedouin, though most of the Bedouin slain in the fighting appear to be combatants. Some 342 Syrian defense ministry forces were killed in the fighting, and 15 more Syrian troops were killed by Israeli attacks on the area.