Photos in southern Syria after soldiers move in to quell sectarian violence
A Syrian government soldier who was injured in Sweida city during clashes between the Syrian government forces and Druze militias, gets treated at a clinic in Busra al-Harir village, in southern Syria, Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)
BUSRA AL-HARIR, Syria (AP) — Injured government soldiers and civilians were treated after Syrian troops moved into the city of Sweida and surrounding areas after clashes broke out between Druze militiamen and Sunni Bedouin tribes in southern Sweida province.
Government forces also clashed with Druze militias. The bodies of Druze fighters and their rocket launchers were left scattered along village roads, the day before a ceasefire was announced on Tuesday.
Israel launched airstrikes on convoys of Syrian security forces, saying it aimed to protect the Druze. In neighboring Israel, the Druze are seen as a loyal minority and often serve in the armed forces.
Smoke rise from clashes between Syrian government forces and Druze militias in Sweida city, southern Syria, Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
Smoke rise from clashes between Syrian government forces and Druze militias in Sweida city, southern Syria, Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
A Syrian government soldier who was injured in Sweida city during clashes between the Syrian government forces and Druze militias, receive treatments at a clinic in Busra al-Harir village, southern Syria, Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)
A Syrian government soldier who was injured in Sweida city during clashes between the Syrian government forces and Druze militias, receive treatments at a clinic in Busra al-Harir village, southern Syria, Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)
Syrian government forces sit on their armored personnel carrier, as they withdraw from Sweida city, southern Syria, Tuesday, July 15, 2025.(AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
Syrian government forces sit on their armored personnel carrier, as they withdraw from Sweida city, southern Syria, Tuesday, July 15, 2025.(AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
A boy who was injured in Sweida city during clashes between the Syrian government forces and Druze militias, lies inside an ambulance in Busra al-Harir village, southern Syria, Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)
A boy who was injured in Sweida city during clashes between the Syrian government forces and Druze militias, lies inside an ambulance in Busra al-Harir village, southern Syria, Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)
A Syrian government soldier, left, and a civilian man right, check dead bodies who were killed in Sweida city during clashes between the Syrian government forces and Druze militias, at a clinic in Busra al-Harir village, southern Syria, Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)
A Syrian government soldier, left, and a civilian man right, check dead bodies who were killed in Sweida city during clashes between the Syrian government forces and Druze militias, at a clinic in Busra al-Harir village, southern Syria, Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)
Syrian government soldiers who were injured in Sweida city during clashes between the Syrian government forces and Druze militias, sit outside a clinic after they received treatments in Busra al-Harir village, southern Syria, Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)
Syrian government soldiers who were injured in Sweida city during clashes between the Syrian government forces and Druze militias, sit outside a clinic after they received treatments in Busra al-Harir village, southern Syria, Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)
Syrian government security forces sit on their armored vehicle at Busra al-Harir village in Daraa, as they prepare to enter Sweida province where clashes erupted between Druze militias and Sunni Bedouin clans, southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
Syrian government security forces sit on their armored vehicle at Busra al-Harir village in Daraa, as they prepare to enter Sweida province where clashes erupted between Druze militias and Sunni Bedouin clans, southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
Two fighters from the Sunni Bedouin clans, ride their motorcycle as they pass by Syrian government security forces deployed on the outskirts of the Sweida province where clashes erupted between Druze militias and Sunni Bedouin clans, southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Malek Khattab)
Two fighters from the Sunni Bedouin clans, ride their motorcycle as they pass by Syrian government security forces deployed on the outskirts of the Sweida province where clashes erupted between Druze militias and Sunni Bedouin clans, southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Malek Khattab)
Syrian government forces stand next of a dead fighter from Druze militias, at Mazraa village on the outskirts of the city of Sweida, where clashes erupted between Sunni Bedouin clans and Druze militias, southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
Syrian government forces stand next of a dead fighter from Druze militias, at Mazraa village on the outskirts of the city of Sweida, where clashes erupted between Sunni Bedouin clans and Druze militias, southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
Syrian Red Crescent volunteers carry a man who was injured during clashes between Sunni Bedouin clans and Druze militias, at Ezraa hospital, southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
Syrian Red Crescent volunteers carry a man who was injured during clashes between Sunni Bedouin clans and Druze militias, at Ezraa hospital, southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
A dead fighter of the Druze militias lies on the ground in front of a rocket launcher on the outskirts of Sweida city, where clashes erupted between Sunni Bedouin clans and Druze militias, in southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
A dead fighter of the Druze militias lies on the ground in front of a rocket launcher on the outskirts of Sweida city, where clashes erupted between Sunni Bedouin clans and Druze militias, in southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
Syrian government forces deploy at Mazraa village on the outskirts of the city of Sweida, where clashes erupted between Sunni Bedouin clans and Druze militias, southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
Syrian government forces deploy at Mazraa village on the outskirts of the city of Sweida, where clashes erupted between Sunni Bedouin clans and Druze militias, southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
Syrian government security forces attend their noon prayer at Busra al-Harir village in Daraa, as they prepare to enter Sweida province where clashes erupted between Druze militias and Sunni Bedouin clans, southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
Syrian government security forces attend their noon prayer at Busra al-Harir village in Daraa, as they prepare to enter Sweida province where clashes erupted between Druze militias and Sunni Bedouin clans, southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
A dead fighter from the Druze militias lies on the ground, as Syrian government forces, background, deploy at Mazraa village on the outskirts of the city of Sweida, where clashes erupted between Sunni Bedouin clans and Druze militias, southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
A dead fighter from the Druze militias lies on the ground, as Syrian government forces, background, deploy at Mazraa village on the outskirts of the city of Sweida, where clashes erupted between Sunni Bedouin clans and Druze militias, southern Syria, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
The Druze developed their own militias during Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war, and some of them have had tense relations with Syria’s new government after the fall of former President Bashar Assad in a lightning rebel offensive in December led by Sunni Islamist insurgent groups.
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.