Sparked by a Bedouin ambush against a Druze vegetable seller, major armed clashes broke out in Syria’s southern Suwayda province on July 13. Since then, chaos has ensued, with newly deployed government forces reportedly committing serious human rights violations, Israel launching fresh airstrikes—including right on the new government’s doorstep in Damascus—and U.S. officials scrambling to calm the situation amid conflicting accounts about what is actually happening on the ground. Although a tenuous ceasefire is now in place, the crisis has put a brighter spotlight on well-known concerns about Syria’s sectarian landscape post-Assad and the new government’s ability to safely handle the transition. To find a diplomatic path out of the bloodshed, Washington will need to increase the pressure for accountability in Damascus—while keeping Israeli enforcement options open in the meantime.
Making Sure Damascus Learns the Right Lessons from the Suwayda Clashes | The Washington Institute
