Hundreds of civilians have died, including women and children, as families are forced to flee, says Syrian Network for Human Rights
The number of documented deaths in clashes in Syria's southern Suwayda province has risen to 426, the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) reported Sunday.
The clashes erupted a week ago between an alliance of Bedouin Arab and tribal forces and some Druze groups.
The fatalities occurred between July 13 and 20, according to a statement released by SNHR
The dead included seven children, 10 women, six health care workers and two media professionals, it said.
Earlier, SNHR reported that at least 321 people were killed and more than 436 injured in Suwayda between July 13 and 18, underscoring the rapid escalation and human cost of the fighting.
The clashes, which were halted through mediation efforts by the Syrian government and foreign actors, initially began on July 13 with armed confrontations between Bedouin Arabs and Druze factions.
Syrian security forces dispatched to intervene were ambushed shortly after their arrival.
Although a ceasefire was brokered, it was later broken by Druze forces affiliated with the Hikmat al-Hijri militia.
The situation worsened on July 16 when the Israeli military conducted strikes near the Syrian presidential palace and on the General Staff headquarters and Defense Ministry.
As Syrian troops withdrew from Suwayda, Hikmat al-Hijri began targeting Bedouin families with forced displacement and executions.
Thousands of tribal fighters reportedly entered the area from outside regions in support of the Bedouin Arabs.
On July 19, the Syrian government redeployed its forces to Suwayda and oversaw the withdrawal of Bedouin and tribal fighters from the city.
The true death toll remains uncertain, but observers believe the number casualties among armed groups and civilians may be significantly higher than current figures suggest.
