STORY: Bedouin families were seen leaving the village of Al-Mazraa with their belongings on Monday (July 21), a day after residents reported calm in Syria's Sweida.

The Islamist-led government announced that Bedouin fighters had withdrawn from the predominantly Druze city and a U.S. envoy signaled that a deal to end days of fighting was being implemented.

With hundreds reported killed, the Sweida bloodshed is a major test for interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, prompting Israel to launch airstrikes against government forces last week as it declared support for the Druze. Fighting continued on Saturday despite a ceasefire call.

Interior Minister Anas Khattab said on Sunday that internal security forces had managed to calm the situation and enforce the ceasefire, "paving the way for a prisoner exchange and the gradual return of stability throughout the governorate."

The Druze are a small but influential minority in Syria, Israel and Lebanon who follow a religion that is an offshoot of a branch of Shi'ite Islam. Some hardline Sunnis deem their beliefs heretical.

The fighting in Sweida began with clashes between Bedouin and Druze fighters. Damascus sent troops to quell the fighting, but they were drawn into the violence and accused of widespread violations against the Druze.

Sharaa on Thursday (July 17) promised to protect the rights of Druze and to hold to account those who committed violations against "our Druze people."

He has blamed the violence on "outlaw groups."

The Syrian Network for Human Rights said on July 18 it had documented the deaths of at least 321 people in Sweida province since July 13. The preliminary toll included civilians, women, children, Bedouin fighters, members of local groups and members of the security forces, it said, and the dead included people killed in field executions by both sides.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, another monitoring group, has reported a death toll of at least 940 people.

Reuters could not independently verify the tolls.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: VARIOUS OF BEDOUIN FAMILIES RIDING ON VEHICLES WITH THEIR BELONGINGS AS THEY LEAVE THE VILLAGE OF AL-MAZRAA IN SYRIA'S SWEIDA PROVINCE

RESENDING WITH FULL SCRIPT.

SHOWS: AL-MAZRAA, SWEIDA PROVINCE, SYRIA (JULY 21, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. PEOPLE RIDING ON TRUCKS, WAVING AS TRUCKS DRIVE AWAY

2. AMBULANCES DRIVING / AUDIO OF GUNFIRE

3. BUS DRIVING AWAY

4. FAMILY INSIDE CAR DRIVING AWAY / AUDIO OF GUNFIRE / PEOPLE, INCLUDING BEDOUIN FIGHTERS CARRYING WEAPONS, LINED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET

5. PEOPLE, INCLUDING CHILDREN, RIDING ON TRUCK

6. PEOPLE ON TRUCK DRIVING AWAY FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE WITH LUGGAGE ATOP AND PEOPLE, INCLUDING CHILDREN, INSIDE / BEDOUIN FIGHTERS STANDING, WALKING