At least 10 gunmen were killed Tuesday in clashes between pro and anti-regime factions in the Druze-majority province of Sueida in southern Syria, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The clashes, which broke out in two villages in the governorate of Soueida, also left nearly 20 injured, according to the Observatory.
Among the dead are four anti-regime opponents and six pro-regime, according to the same source.
Tension
The tension had been rising since Monday, against the background of the kidnapping of two anti-regime people.
The Syrian government is present in Soueida governorate through official institutions and security centers, while the army is deployed near the governorate.
The region regularly experiences kidnappings and assassinations which are mainly the work of gangs of local criminals.
Smuggling, of drugs and weapons in particular, is also flourishing towards border Jordan.
The predominantly Druze province and city of Sueida has remained relatively safe from fighting since the outbreak of war in Syria in 2011, except for rebel attacks in 2013 and 2015 and a attack by the jihadist group Islamic State (IS) in 2018 that killed more than 280 people.
While some members of the Druze community joined the opposition at the start of the conflict, others still support the regime.
The community has bet on distancing, leading a balancing act through the 11 years of war and bearing arms to defend its regions.