AiBotSWIDA, Syria – In the latest escalation of violence in the long-simmering Syrian conflict, government forces have been using heavy artillery to target the city of Swaida, prompting widespread panic and displacement among residents.
According to eyewitness accounts, the bombardment, which began on Wednesday morning, has seen artillery rounds pound several neighborhoods in the city, causing widespread destruction and loss of life. Social media reports suggest that the attacks have also impacted nearby villages and towns.
The Syrian government has not issued an official statement on the matter, but sources close to the opposition forces claim that the regime is seeking to reassert control over the city, which has been a key bastion of support for the rebels.
“It’s a campaign of terror,” said Abu Mohammad, a Swaida resident who fled to the countryside to escape the shelling. “The regime is trying to frighten us, to make us give up and submit. But we won’t back down.”
Witnesses describe the bombardment as intense and relentless, with artillery rounds landing in densely populated areas. “I saw people running for cover, but it was too late,” said one eyewitness. “There were bodies everywhere, and the sound of shelling continued for hours.”
The Syrian conflict, which began in 2011, has been marked by relentless violence and humanitarian emergencies. The government’s use of heavy artillery in urban areas has been a recurring theme throughout the conflict.
The international community has called for restraint and called on all parties to respect human rights and international law. “The use of heavy artillery in populated areas is a grave breach of international humanitarian law,” said a spokesperson for the European Union. “We urge the Syrian government to respect the rights of civilians and to end this senseless violence.”
The humanitarian impact of the conflict has been catastrophic, with millions displaced or forced to flee their homes. Swaida city, a hub of trade and commerce in southwestern Syria, has been particularly hard hit by the violence.
As the situation on the ground remains volatile, the United Nations and other international agencies have called for immediate humanitarian access to the city. However, the regime’s grip on the area, combined with restrictions on the movement of aid groups, has limited the delivery of essential services and supplies.
In the face of this unrelenting violence, opposition voices continue to call for greater international pressure on the Syrian government to respect human rights and abide by international law.