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Heavy clashes after Syrian Army forces enter al-Suwayda city
Al-Suwayda, located in southern Syria, witnessed intense fighting following the entry of Syrian Army forces, according to AFP. The Syrian Ministry of Defense announced that the army began conducting operations inside the city after bloody confrontations in the surrounding areas over the past two days.
The Media and Communications Department of the Ministry of Defense confirmed that "the Syrian Army forces have begun entering al-Suwayda," based on reports from the Syrian News Agency (SANA). This event is the first of its kind since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad's regime, marking the army's initial entry into the Druze-majority city since that time.
Security conditions have escalated, with the Syrian Army confirming on Tuesday that "lawless groups" are attempting to withdraw from the confrontation by moving towards the city center. As part of ongoing operations, a source in the Ministry of Defense stated that the army continues its efforts to restore stability and security around the city.
Authorities also advised residents to stay in their homes and report any suspicious movements by lawless groups, which may use residential neighborhoods as targets for attacks. Prior to the operations, the internal security chief in al-Suwayda imposed a curfew in the city starting Tuesday morning until further notice, urging residents to remain indoors to prevent armed groups from using residential buildings in their clashes with government forces.
On Monday evening, government forces advanced toward al-Suwayda, a city with a large Druze population, following battles that resulted in about 100 extremists killed. In related developments, Israel stated that it intervened by shelling Syrian tanks, warning of threats to the security of the Druze community in the region.
