Armed groups attacked personnel from Syria's internal security forces in Sweida, killing one member and wounding others, and fired shells at several villages in the violence-hit southern province, state-run Ekhbariya TV reported on Sunday.
The report cited a security source as saying the armed groups had violated the ceasefire agreed in the predominantly Druze region, where factional bloodshed killed hundreds of people last month.
Syria's Interior Ministry issued a statement claiming it was rebel gangs that violated the ceasefire, despite the government's attempts to maintain calm.
“As these gangs failed to thwart the Syrian State’s efforts and its responsibilities towards our people in Sweida, they resorted to violating the ceasefire agreement by launching treacherous attacks against Internal Security Forces on several fronts and shelling some villages with rockets and mortar shells, resulting in the martyrdom and injury of a number of security personnel” the ministry said.
“Meanwhile, rebel gangs continue their attempts to drag the governorate into tension and chaos, driven by personal motives of their leaders, through the theft of relief aid and internal fighting” the statement said adding that “These groups also use violations of truce agreements to cover up their arbitrary practices, including unlawful arrests within the city”.
Violence in Sweida
Violence in Sweida erupted on July 13 between Bedouin tribal fighters and Druze factions. Government forces were sent to quell the fighting, but the bloodshed worsened, and Israel carried out strikes on Syrian troops in the name of the Druze.
The Druze are a minority offshoot of Islam with followers in Syria, Lebanon and Israel. Sweida province is predominantly Druze but is also home to Sunni tribes, and the communities have had long-standing tensions over land and other resources.
A US-brokered truce ended the fighting, which had raged in Sweida city and surrounding towns for nearly a week. Syria said it would investigate the clashes, setting up a committee to investigate the attacks.
The Sweida bloodshed last month was a major test for interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, after a wave of sectarian violence in March that killed hundreds of Alawite citizens in the coastal region.