Following the massacre of Druze civilians in southern Syria by Bedouin tribes—joined by fighters from Jordan, northern and eastern Syria, and Iraq—and Israeli assistance in repelling the jihadist attacks, it has become clear to all local actors that peaceful coexistence between the Druze population (about 750,000) and the Bedouin tribes living among them in Suwayda is no longer possible.

During the recent clashes, thousands of Bedouin families fled on their own, but there are also reports that Druze fighters forced many Bedouins out of their villages. Many of these displaced people have arrived as refugees in the nearby Daraa province.

After Israel’s intervention and the imposition of a ceasefire, the Syrian government began evacuating Bedouin families who were taken hostage by the Druze. The Druze, in turn, are demanding the release of their own captives, including girls who were reportedly abducted for forced marriages.