[Main COI reference: Security 2021, 2.14]

General information

The governorate of Sweida is located in the southern part of Syria. It borders Dar’a and Rural Damascus and has an international border with Jordan. It consists of three districts: As-Sweida, Shahba and Salkhad. In a March 2021 report, UNOCHA estimated the population of Sweida governorate to be of 380 495 inhabitants.

The governorate of Sweida is the most important home region of the Druze minority, which make up 91 % of its population.

Background of the conflict

During the revolution and the ensuing conflict, the governorate of Sweida remained neutral. The Druze population in Sweida was reportedly treated with ‘caution’ by the GoS as a ‘politically sensitive minority’, and large-scale mass arrests and bombings were largely avoided in Sweida. Even though Sweida remained officially under government control during the conflict, most of the military and civil authority in the governorate has been exercised by local political and military factions preoccupied with defending it from outside attackers.

Actors: control and presence

In 2021, Sweida governorate was still under SAA control, including its associated foreign forces such as Russia and Iran, as well as Hezbollah. In addition to various pro-government militias, particularly the Iranian-backed NDF was present in Sweida governorate in 2020.

In the reporting period, ISIL re-emerged and operated in Sweida governorate.

Nature of violence and examples of incidents

As of January 2021, the security situation in Sweida reportedly remained chaotic, including the lack of security forces to maintain order and stability. There have been reports on the killing of government security forces and unknown individuals. Kidnappings reportedly led to clashes between armed groups. Reported incidents included explosions of IEDs and mines, e.g. in areas, where military operations had taken place in the past. Airstrikes by the Israeli forces were also reported.

Incidents: data

ACLED recorded 66 security incidents (average of 1 security incidents per week) in Sweida governorate in the period from 1 January 2020 to 31 March 2021. Of the reported incidents, 38 were coded as incidents of ‘violence against civilians’, 22 as ‘battles’, and 6 as ‘explosions/remote violence’.

Geographical scope

Security incidents were recorded in all Sweida governorate districts during the reporting period, with the highest overall number recorded in Sweida district.

Civilian fatalities: data

VDC recorded 58 civilian fatalities in 2020 and 12 civilian fatalities in the first three months of 2021. SNHR recorded 8 civilian fatalities in 2020 and 2 civilian fatalities in the first three months of 2021. For the full reporting period, this represented 70 civilian fatalities in total or approximately 13 civilian fatalities per 100 000 inhabitants according to VDC data; and 10 civilian fatalities in total or approximately 2 civilian fatalities per 100 000 inhabitants according to SNHR.

Displacement

In 2020, UNOCHA recorded approximately 1 000 IDP movements from Sweida governorate, most of them within the governorate itself. In the first three months of 2021, 19 IDP movements from, including within, Sweida governorate were reported.

For 2020, UNOCHA recorded 50 return movements within Sweida governorate. SOHR reported in May 2020 that a large number of Christian families who had been forced to flee in 2014 had returned to their village of Kharba as a result of reconciliation agreements.

Further impact on civilians

In terms of further impact on the civilian population, Sweida governorate has been spared extensive damage in the conflict, compared to other areas of Syria, with 0.7 % of the population reportedly lived in destroyed buildings. Furthermore, rising prices and the deterioration of the socio-economic situation in the governorate led to repeated protests among the population during the reporting period.

There were reports of lawlessness, widespread violence and uncontrolled criminal activities. Security on the main road between Damascus and Sweida was affected by criminal groups carrying out killings, torture and abductions there.