Once bustling roads are now eerily silent, with buildings and cars charred black. At a bank, shattered glass covers the floor, and an alarm blares continuously. Walls are spray-painted with slogans from both sides of the conflict. The violence erupted two weeks ago following tit-for-tat kidnappings between Bedouin clans and the Druze minority, escalating into a deadly clash that claimed hundreds of lives. The Syrian government intervened, ostensibly to restore order, but is believed to have sided with the clans, with reports of soldiers robbing and executing Druze civilians. Journalists from outside Sweida were allowed in for the first time since July 13, when the violence started. A ceasefire has largely held, enabling residents to begin the process of rebuilding. At the city's hospital, bodies piled up for days, with staff struggling against the overwhelming smell. Manal Harb describes her 19-year-old son Safi being shot while volunteering; he now faces the risk of losing his arm due to his injuries. Her husband was killed by armed men who stormed their home, shot him, and set their house ablaze, stealing belongings in the process.

Videos and reports from Sweida reveal Druze civilians being humiliated and executed, sometimes with sectarian slurs. After the ceasefire, some Druze groups launched revenge attacks on Bedouin communities. More than 130,000 people have been displaced by the fighting, according to the UN. The Druze, an offshoot of Shiite Islam, largely welcomed the fall of Bashar Assad in December, but reactions to the new government under interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa have been mixed. Some Druze leaders support engagement, while others oppose him, accusing him of targeting their community and blaming Israel for further division by striking Syrian forces in Sweida.

Amidst the chaos, members of the Christian minority also suffered. A family sheltering in a church was hit by a rocket, and many civilians, including Bedouin, Druze, and Christians, evacuated in convoys organized by the Red Crescent. Survivors tell of near-death experiences, like Micheline Jaber, who was wounded when her car was shelled but escaped with her life. Her family members were killed, but she remained grateful for her survival amid profound grief. (The Gleaner)