Mon Jul 14 05:04:11 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summarized news article based on the provided text, written from a neutral perspective, suitable for general consumption:
**Headline: Deadly Clashes Erupt in Southern Syria, Prompting Government Intervention**
**Damascus, Syria – July 14, 2025** – At least 37 people have been killed in Sweida, a predominantly Druze city in southern Syria, following clashes between Bedouin tribes and local fighters. The violence, the worst seen in the area since April and May, prompted the Syrian government to deploy troops in an attempt to de-escalate the situation and restore order.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the casualties include 27 Druze, among them two children, and 10 Bedouin. The clashes also led to the closure of the Damascus-Sweida highway, disrupting transportation.
Syria’s Interior Ministry reported over 30 deaths and nearly 100 injuries, announcing a coordinated deployment of troops with the Defence Ministry to intervene directly, stop the fighting, and apprehend those responsible.
Sweida Governor Mustapha al-Bakur has urged restraint, while several Druze spiritual leaders have appealed to Damascus for intervention. The Education Ministry has postponed secondary school exams scheduled for today in Sweida due to the unrest.
Longstanding tensions between Bedouin and Druze factions in Sweida have contributed to occasional outbreaks of violence. The Interior Ministry attributed the latest clashes to accumulated tensions and unfortunate armed confrontations between local military groups and clans.
Concerns have been raised regarding the safety of minorities in Syria following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, and the new Islamist authorities have struggled to maintain security. Previous clashes between security forces and Druze fighters in April and May resulted in dozens of casualties, leading to agreements aimed at integrating Druze fighters into the new government.
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