Video claims to show hundreds of Arab tribal fighters moving towards Syria to fight Druze

A video surfaced on social media platform X claims to show that hundreds of Arab tribal fighters moving towards Syria to fight Druze. However, the timing of the video cannot be verified independently by WION. Meanwhile, tribesmen backed by the Islamist-led government of Syria clashed with Druze warriors outside Sweida on Friday (July 18) a day after government forces pulled out of the Druze-majority city, the warring factions and a monitoring group said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, “clashes west of Sweida pitting tribal fighters and Bedouin backed by the authorities against Druze fighters.” Fighting has been confirmed on both sides. Syrian regime forces retreated from Sweida province on Thursday (July 17) after heavy shelling by Israel. They withdrew from Syria's Druze heartland at the orders of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who said that mediation efforts by the United States and others had prevented a "large-scale escalation" with Israel.

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Almost 600 people have been killed in Sweida province since Sunday, the Observatory said, as Druze militiamen battled against Sunni Bedouin tribes, who were eventually supported by government troops.

A truce came into place on Thursday (July 17), but Sharaa's office blamed Druze forces for violating the agreement. Bedouin fighters converged on Sweida on Friday to support the Bedouin, taking positions in a number of villages outside the city.

Occasional shooting and blasts were heard and smoke rising from the villages was also seen. Druze militiamen told news agency AFP that they were counter-attacking the sources of fire. Anas al-Enad, a tribal sheikh in the central city of Hama, said he and his men had traveled to the village of Walgha, northwest of Sweida, because "the Bedouin called for our help and we came to support them".