Busra al-Harir, Syria - July 16 (AP) Syria's Defence Minister declared a ceasefire on Tuesday, shortly after government forces moved into a significant city in the southern Sweida province, following sectarian clashes that left dozens dead.
Israeli Actions in Response to Clashes Neighbouring Israel launched airstrikes against Syrian military forces, citing the protection of the Druze minority as the rationale.
Escalating Tensions with Cross-Border Violence The recent surge of violence under Syria's new leadership began with a spate of kidnappings and attacks exchanged between local Sunni Bedouin tribes and Druze armed groups, primarily in Southern Sweida, a hub for the Druze community.
Government forces dispatched to restore order on Monday also encountered resistance from Druze fighters.
Ceasefire Declarations Amidst Ongoing Clashes On Tuesday, Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra announced that an agreement had been achieved with the city's "notables and dignitaries," asserting that the government forces would only retaliate against direct attacks and address any targeting by illegal factions.
Despite the announcement, sporadic skirmishes persisted, coupled with allegations of abuses by security forces against civilians. Syria's Interior Ministry reported over 30 fatalities on Monday, but hasn't issued updates since. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported 166 deaths since Sunday, including five women and two children.
Among the dead were 21 individuals reportedly executed by government forces, with 12 men killed in a rest house in Sweida city, and reports of security forces engaging in looting and arson surfaces.
Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa stated that he had instructed authorities to "take immediate legal action against anyone proven to have committed a transgression or abuse, regardless of their rank or position."
AP journalists saw government forces at a checkpoint in Sweida Province searching vehicles and confiscating suspected stolen items from civilians and soldiers alike.
Israeli Strikes and Political Backlash Israeli airstrikes targeted Syrian military convoys heading into Sweida and other parts of southern Syria. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz asserted the strikes were to "prevent the Syrian regime from harming the Druze minority" and to ensure peace near Israel's borders with Syria.
In Israel, the Druze are considered a loyal minority and often serve in the military. Meanwhile, Israeli Cabinet member and Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli called for the urgent removal of President al-Sharaa.
A Soldier's Experience Under Fire Manhal Yasser Al-Gor from the Interior Ministry, treated for shrapnel wounds after an Israeli strike hit his convoy, recounted, "We were entering Sweida to secure the civilians and prevent looting. I was on an armored personnel carrier when the Israeli drone hit us," adding that there were "many casualties."
The Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli strikes for killing "several innocent civilians" as well as soldiers, criticizing them as "an example of ongoing aggression and external interference" in Syria's internal affairs. The ministry emphasized its commitment to protecting the Druze, "who form an integral part of the national identity and united Syrian social fabric."
Tensions Over Syria’s New Leadership Israel has opposed Syria’s new leaders, led by Sunni Islamist insurgents since al-Sharaa replaced former President Bashar Assad in December, aiming to prevent militants near its borders.
Israeli forces have claimed a UN-patrolled buffer zone along the Syrian border and launched many airstrikes on Syrian military sites.
Religious leaders from Syria’s Druze community initially urged armed groups battling government forces to disarm and cooperate with authorities. However, a key Druze spiritual leader later retracted the call, citing broken promises from Damascus and continued attacks on civilians.
Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri, opposing Damascus’ government, stated, “We are under a total annihilation war,” without providing evidence.
Social media footage displayed armed fighters with Druze captives, who were subjected to beatings, and, in some cases, forcibly shaved men’s moustaches.
Fear of Sectarian Violence and Reprisals The Druze sect originated in the 10th century from Ismailism, a Shiite Islam branch. More than half of the roughly one million Druze reside in Syria, with many others in Lebanon and Israel, including the Golan Heights, captured by Israel from Syria in the 1967 Mideast War and annexed in 1981.
Post-Assad clashes have erupted between supporters of Syria’s new regime and Druze fighters. The current violence raises concerns of additional sectarian conflicts. In March, Assad loyalists ambushed government forces, setting off days of sectarian and retaliatory attacks, with many casualties among Assad’s Alawite sect.
The attacks spurred a commission to investigate, but findings have yet to be disclosed.
Outrage and protests erupted in the Druze communities of Lebanon, northern Israel, and the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, where protestors crossed into Syrian territory.
The international community expressed its apprehensions. The US envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, termed the unrest "worrisome on all sides," emphasizing efforts to find a peaceful solution for Druze, Bedouin tribes, the Syrian government, and Israeli forces. (AP)
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