Transcription
Trying to get into Sueda tells you a lot about what's happened here over the past two weeks.
First, we approach from the northwest of the city and come across this Sunni Bedwin fighters who support the government and the president, former Islamist militant Akmand al-Shara. Government forces though are now stopping them from entering the city and they're not happy about it. The Bedwin armed with guns and some with clippers used to shave the mustaches of Druze's men and humiliate them.
We're told it's too dangerous to continue into the city in this way, so we approach from the south instead. The closest checkpoint flies the Druze's flag manned by Druze's militia. The message is clear: We are back in control of security inside Sueda. Our ultimate destination, the city's main hospital. And as we travel inside the charred remains of a complicated conflict. What happened here though not measured in terms of mangled metal.
As we arrive at the hospital, a reminder that the fighting and the killing continues.
This Druze man has just been shot by a sniper. His brother convinced it was government forces who did this, not Bedwin fighters. This woman says all her sons were killed in a drone strike. Her fury reserved for Damascus. We don't know whether her sons were Druze fighters or not. Then we are brought to where the bodies are. As we approach the morgue, we realize it's outside in the yard in the sweltering heat. The bodies are decomposing. It is hard to breathe here.
So, there's a very, very strong smell. The bodies are starting to decompose here. Lots of them have already been taken away. I just wanted to give you a sense though of the latest figures of deaths in Sueda over the last 10 days or so. The figure is now 1,265 dead. The doctor said he's expecting that to reach 2,000. The Syrian Network for Human Rights says there's evidence that both sides committed field executions and that there are at least 100 civilians among the dead. Doctors here told us that many of the bodies brought in were shot at point blank range.
We're on our way to meet Sheikh Hickmat al-Hiji, the main Druze leader. What's happened in Sueda has consolidated his power, antagonistic towards the new government in Damascus from the start. Seen as an Israeli ally who in turn have justified bombing Syrian military targets to protect the Druze minority. He agreed to meet us but not to be interviewed on camera. He told me that he sees what's happened in Sueda over the last two weeks as part of a campaign of elimination by what he described as this extremist government. He called for international protection for the Druze in Syria. He denied that Druze fighters were involved in atrocities. He also denied that he was receiving any sort of financial support from the Israeli state. But the takeaway for me was that if there was ever any trust between that man and the interim president Ahmed al-Shara, there is certainly nothing but distrust and animosity.
Now, what's happened in Sueda has fatally undermined trust in Damascus among the Druze. The big question now for which minority in Syria will trust die?