DAMASCUS (Reuters) -At least 18 members of Syria's security forces have been killed in the predominantly Druze city of Sweida, the Defence Ministry said, after they deployed to quell deadly sectarian clashes that had resumed on Monday,

Dozens of people have been killed in the fighting between local militias and clans in Syria 's Sweida province. Government security forces that were sent to restore order Monday also clashed with local armed groups.

The clashes in Syria initially broke out between armed groups from the Druze and Sunni Bedouin clans, the observatory said, with some members of the government security forces “actively participating”