Suwayda, Syria — In a rare display of logistical coordination under dire internal strains, the Syrian government has evacuated more than 500 civilians from the southern province of Suwayda to neighboring Daraa, citing security concerns amid escalating tribal tensions and shifting military dynamics.
The operation, carried out earlier this week, involved six government buses and dozens of private vehicles under army escort. Most of the evacuees were women, children, and elderly men belonging to Bedouin families who had been caught in the crossfire between rival factions and Syrian military units across the southern governorates. This marks one of the largest internal transfers of civilians in Syria’s south since the resurgence of tribal unrest earlier this year.
While Syrian state media described the evacuation as “voluntary” and “coordinated with community elders,” local sources on the ground say the move was prompted by growing instability in Suwayda and a recent reconfiguration of military posts throughout the region. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based monitoring group, noted that the evacuation began quietly two days before the official announcement and included checkpoints controlled by the 5th Corps—a Russian-backed paramilitary wing of the Syrian army.
Tensions between Druze militias in Suwayda and government forces have simmered for years but intensified in recent months as armed factions accused Damascus of economic neglect and repression. Suwayda, which is home to a large Druze population, has historically remained semi-autonomous, resisting full cooperation with Damascus throughout the civil war. However, with the government now deploying the Russian-trained 5th Corps to stabilize both Suwayda and Daraa, local tribal leaders fear a return to more direct central control.
“The people leaving were not just escaping the conflict,” said one tribal source in Daraa who asked to remain anonymous. “They were pushed out by changes in the military balance and fear of arrests.”
In Daraa, the reception of the evacuees has been mixed. Some residents have welcomed the displaced families with food and temporary shelter. Others, however, remain wary of new arrivals, fearing a resurgence of violence or a shift in the already fragile power balance between local militias, Syrian military units, and tribal networks.
The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that the relocated civilians will receive humanitarian support coordinated by the Ministry of Social Affairs, but no details were offered regarding long-term settlement or reintegration. International aid agencies have been largely silent, reflecting the broader disengagement of the West from Syria’s protracted internal displacements.
According to Anadolu News Agency, more than 500 civilians were evacuated in a convoy of government buses and 45 private vehicles from Suwayda to Daraa. The SOHR confirmed the operation and attributed the move to increasing tensions and security threats across both provinces, emphasizing the role of military units affiliated with Russia in managing the route and safety protocols during the transfer.
