Clashes that shook southern Syria this week have killed hundreds of people, including civilians, and drawn in an array of both local and international players, harking back to the dynamics of the country’s nearly 14-year civil war.

DAMASCUS, Syria — Renewed clashes broke out overnight between Druze armed groups and members of Bedouin clans in southern Syria, and government forces were preparing to deploy again to the area Friday after pulling out under a ceasefire agreement that halted several days of violence earlier this week, officials said.

In his statement, Turk condemned the mass displacement and acts of violence in Sweida, including reports of killings, kidnappings, destruction of private property, and looting of homes. The head of the United Nations human rights office urged on Friday for Syria's interim authorities to ensure accountability and justice for killings and violations in the southern city of Sweida.

One woman tells the BBC she cowered in her home waiting for gunmen to enter and "decide whether we should live or die".

Members of Syria's Druze community are searching for loved ones and counting their dead after days of clashes in a southern province that left bloodied bodies of civilians on the streets and homes loo