In the Syrian Druze city of Sweida, survivors began to recover and bury the dead on Thursday (July 17) after days of brutal violence left bodies scattered across homes and streets. One elderly man was found shot in the head in his living room, another in his bedroom, and a woman’s body lay in the street. A ceasefire declared overnight brought a halt to intense clashes between Druze militias and Syrian government troops, who had entered the city to suppress ongoing fighting between Druze residents and Bedouin fighters.

According to over a dozen Sweida residents, two reporters on-site, and a monitoring group, the violence escalated significantly after the Syrian military’s arrival. Witnesses recounted seeing neighbors and friends shot at close range in their homes and streets, identifying the perpetrators as government troops based on their uniforms and insignia. While Reuters confirmed the time and location of some videos depicting the aftermath, it could not independently confirm who carried out the killings or when they took place.

In a video message early Thursday, Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa emphasized his commitment to safeguarding the Druze community and blamed "outlaw groups" for inciting violence. He promised accountability for any wrongdoing but did not confirm whether government forces were responsible. An earlier government statement on the ceasefire mentioned the launch of a fact-finding mission to investigate the violence, identify those responsible, and provide swift compensation to victims.

Residents interviewed by Reuters expressed deepening distrust in the Damascus-based Islamist government and questioned Sharaa’s commitment to protecting Syria’s minority populations. Many referred to the mass killing of Alawites in Syria's coastal areas in March, allegedly by forces aligned with Sharaa. “I can’t keep up with all the calls I’m getting about the dead,” said Kenan Azzam, a dentist living on Sweida’s eastern edge, speaking to Reuters by phone.