In southern Syria, at least 89 people were killed and some 200 others injured over the past two days in escalating clashes between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes in Sweida province. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported today.

As per the media reports, despite mediation, heavy fighting persisted today with loud explosions reported across western rural Sweida.  

The Syrian defence authority, in a statement said, the violence was caused by an absence of institutional control hindering security intervention. It also said specialized military units have been deployed to separate warring factions and secure civilian evacuation routes.

The root of the conflict lies in an earlier incident in which a young Druze man was assaulted and robbed by armed Bedouins at a temporary checkpoint near al-Masmiyah. In retaliation, local Druze fighters detained several Bedouin members, escalating the situation.