BEIRUT, July 20. /TASS/. Clashes between the transitional government’s forces and Druze self-defense squads in Syria’s southern province of Swaida claimed about 940 lives, Sky News Arabia reported, citing medical sources.

Earlier reports put the death toll at 718.

The report says that the death toll in the violence, which has been ongoing since July 13, includes 262 civilians, among them women and children. Druze groups lost 326 members, while the government troops reported 312 deaths. Pro-government paramilitary units of Arab tribes lost 21 militiamen, while 19 internal security officers were killed by Israeli air strikes.

On Saturday, Syrian Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced an immediate ceasefire in the Sweida province to end clashes between militias and Druze self-defense forces. The ceasefire was announced in accordance with the reconciliation plan, drafted with the help of international mediators.

Tensions in southern Syria escalated on July 13, with clashes erupting between Arab tribal militias and Druze self-defense forces. On July 15, Syrian forces entered the city of Sweida and began mopping it up. Shortly after, Israel started striking Syrian military convoys, arguing that it was seeking to protect the Druze population of the province. On July 16, the Israeli Air Force struck some strategic targets in Damascus.

The Druze are an Arabic-speaking ethnic and religious group, whose representatives live in Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan. There are 700,000 Druze in Syria, the third-largest religious and ethnic minority after the Kurds and Alawites.