The reports come just hours after the forces withdrew after a ceasefire agreement was reached. The government forces claim to have agreed with some of the Druze factions to enter the city to maintain stability.
The Syrian interim president's office accuses "lawless forces" – the government's term for Druze groups in Sweida – of violating the agreement. In a statement, the office writes that, among other things, "terrible violence" is being perpetrated against civilians, which "completely contradicts the obligations of the agreement".
On Thursday, the Syrian state-controlled news agency Sana reported that Israel had carried out attacks on Sweida, after the ceasefire agreement. Israel, on the other hand, claims not to have carried out any attacks in Sweida, but says it will send humanitarian aid to Druze in Syria.
Broke out on Sunday
The clashes between Druze and Bedouins broke out on Sunday, leading to the deployment of Syrian government forces in an attempt to quell the violence. The forces have at the same time been accused of killing civilian Druze.
The violence has hit Sweida hard, with looted shops, burned-down homes and dead bodies on the streets.
From what I saw of the city today, it looked like it had just been hit by a natural disaster, a doctor on the spot told the news agency AFP on Thursday.
"Systematic killing"
The government's involvement in Sweida led to Israel carrying out air strikes on Wednesday against, among other things, Syria's Ministry of Defense in Damascus, with the motivation that Israel wants to defend Druze and reduce the presence of Syrian government forces in southwestern Syria.
The US State Department reported on Thursday that the country did not support the Israeli attacks, but instead expressed dissatisfaction with the escalating situation.
The UK-based Syrian Human Rights Observatory (SOHR) tells the news agency AP that more than 80 civilians, mainly Druze, have been killed "systematically" in what is described as "field executions".
This is not individual actions, but systematic, says SOHR chief Rami Abdul-Rahman to AP.
Nearly 600 people have been killed in the clashes since Sunday, according to SOHR.
