Syrian government forces to re-enter province following renewed clashes
The clashes came as government forces were preparing to deploy again to the area on Friday after pulling out under a ceasefire agreement that halted several days of violence earlier this week, officials said.
Government security forces agreed with some of the Druze factions that they would re-enter the area to impose stability and protect state institutions, according to two Syrian officials.
Syrian government forces had largely pulled out of the Druze-majority southern province of Sweida after days of clashes with militias linked to the Druze religious minority that threatened to unravel the country's fragile post-war transition.
The conflict drew air strikes against Syrian forces by neighbouring Israel in defence of the Druze minority before most of the fighting was halted by a truce announced on Wednesday that was mediated by the US, Turkey and Arab countries.
Bedouin fighters gather in front a burning shop (Ghaith Alsayed/AP)
Under that agreement, Druze factions and clerics would be left to maintain internal security in Sweida, Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa said on Thursday.
The clashes initially began between Druze militias and local Sunni Muslim Bedouin tribes on Sunday before government forces intervened, nominally to restore order, but ended up taking the Bedouins' side against the Druze.
The fighting killed hundreds of people over four days, with allegations that government-affiliated fighters executed Druze civilians and looted and burned homes.
Israel intervened, launching dozens of air strikes on convoys of government fighters and striking the Syrian Defence Ministry headquarters in central Damascus in a major escalation of its involvement.
The Druze form a substantial community in Israel, where they are seen as a loyal minority and often serve in the Israeli military.
After the ceasefire and withdrawal of government forces, clashes once again flared between the Druze and Bedouin groups in parts of Sweida. State media reported Druze militias carried out revenge attacks against Bedouin communities, leading to a wave of displacement.
The governor of the neighbouring province of Daraa said in a statement that more than 1,000 families had been displaced to the area from Sweida as a result of 'attacks on Bedouin tribes by outlaw groups'.
Meanwhile, Bedouin groups arrived on Friday from other areas of Syria to join the fight. On the outskirts of Sweida, groups of them gathered in front of buildings that had been set ablaze.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
6 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Former president of Brazil ordered to wear electronic ankle monitor
Former Brazil president Jair Bolsonaro has been ordered to wear an ankle monitor, authorities said, in a move he described as 'a supreme humiliation'. The development came as federal police conducted searches at his home and his party's headquarters in Brasilia, in compliance with a Supreme Court order. The order prohibits Mr Bolsonaro from leaving the house at night, communicating with foreign ambassadors and diplomats or approaching embassies. The former president is also barred from using social media or contacting other individuals under investigation by the Supreme Federal Court, including his son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, a Brazilian politician who currently lives in the United States and is known for his close ties to US President Donald Trump. Mr Bolsonaro is currently on trial at the Supreme Court accused of leading an alleged attempt to stage a coup to overturn the 2022 election in which he was defeated by left-wing president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Jair Bolsonaro is currently on trial at the Supreme Court (AP) 'It is a supreme humiliation,' Mr Bolsonaro told journalists in Brasilia after putting on the ankle monitoring. 'I never thought about leaving Brazil, I never thought about going to an embassy, but the precautionary measures are because of that.' On Thursday, Mr Trump wrote to Mr Bolsonaro describing his ally's treatment by the Brazilian legal system as terrible and unjust. 'This trial should end immediately,' the US president said, adding that he 'strongly voiced' his disapproval through his tariff policy. The Supreme Court's restrictions on Mr Bolsonaro are part of a second investigation against Eduardo for allegedly working with US authorities to impose sanctions against Brazilian officials. Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is also the rapporteur of the case, said that the former president and his son's recent actions were 'blatant confessions of criminal conduct', such as coercion during legal proceedings, obstruction of investigations and attacks on national sovereignty. Live aerial footage from local broadcasters showed federal police vehicles outside Mr Bolsonaro's residence in Brasilia. Congressman Sostenes Cavalcante, the leader of Mr Bolsonaro's party in the lower house, told the Associated Press that officers also searched Mr Bolsonaro's office at the party's headquarters. He described the operation as 'another chapter in the persecution of conservatives and right-wing figures' in Brazil. On Tuesday, Brazil's prosecutor-general, Paulo Gonet, said in a report to the Supreme Court that the 'evidence is clear: the defendant acted systematically, throughout his mandate and after his defeat at the polls, to incite insurrection and the destabilisation of the democratic rule of law'. Mr Bolsonaro has described the trial on X as a 'witch hunt', echoing a term used by Mr Trump when he came to his South American ally's defence last week. Last week, Mr Trump imposed a 50% import tax on Brazil, directly tying the tariffs to Mr Bolsonaro's trial. The US president has hosted the former Brazilian president at his Mar-a-Lago resort when both were in power in 2020. Mr Trump compared the Brazilian's situation to his own. On Tuesday, speaking to reporters at the White House, Mr Trump repeated the claim that the trial is a 'witch hunt'.
Irish Examiner
9 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Syrian government forces to re-enter province following renewed clashes
Renewed clashes have broken out between Druze armed groups and members of Bedouin clans in southern Syria. The clashes came as government forces were preparing to deploy again to the area on Friday after pulling out under a ceasefire agreement that halted several days of violence earlier this week, officials said. Government security forces agreed with some of the Druze factions that they would re-enter the area to impose stability and protect state institutions, according to two Syrian officials. Syrian government forces had largely pulled out of the Druze-majority southern province of Sweida after days of clashes with militias linked to the Druze religious minority that threatened to unravel the country's fragile post-war transition. The conflict drew air strikes against Syrian forces by neighbouring Israel in defence of the Druze minority before most of the fighting was halted by a truce announced on Wednesday that was mediated by the US, Turkey and Arab countries. Bedouin fighters gather in front a burning shop (Ghaith Alsayed/AP) Under that agreement, Druze factions and clerics would be left to maintain internal security in Sweida, Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa said on Thursday. The clashes initially began between Druze militias and local Sunni Muslim Bedouin tribes on Sunday before government forces intervened, nominally to restore order, but ended up taking the Bedouins' side against the Druze. The fighting killed hundreds of people over four days, with allegations that government-affiliated fighters executed Druze civilians and looted and burned homes. Israel intervened, launching dozens of air strikes on convoys of government fighters and striking the Syrian Defence Ministry headquarters in central Damascus in a major escalation of its involvement. The Druze form a substantial community in Israel, where they are seen as a loyal minority and often serve in the Israeli military. After the ceasefire and withdrawal of government forces, clashes once again flared between the Druze and Bedouin groups in parts of Sweida. State media reported Druze militias carried out revenge attacks against Bedouin communities, leading to a wave of displacement. The governor of the neighbouring province of Daraa said in a statement that more than 1,000 families had been displaced to the area from Sweida as a result of 'attacks on Bedouin tribes by outlaw groups'. Meanwhile, Bedouin groups arrived on Friday from other areas of Syria to join the fight. On the outskirts of Sweida, groups of them gathered in front of buildings that had been set ablaze.
Irish Examiner
9 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Religious leaders enter Gaza in rare solidarity visit after deadly church strike
Top church leaders in Jerusalem have travelled to Gaza in a rare solidarity visit to the territory one day after an Israeli shell slammed into its only Catholic church, killing three people. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III entered Gaza on Friday morning to express the 'shared pastoral solicitude of the churches of the Holy Land', according to a statement released by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The patriarchs and their delegation arrived at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza in the afternoon. As well as the three people killed in the strike, 10 were wounded, including the resident priest. The church compound was damaged. The delegation was also planning on sending hundreds of tons of food aid, medical supplies and equipment to families inside Gaza, the patriarchate said, adding they also had 'ensured evacuation' of individuals injured in the attack to hospitals outside Gaza. Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement saying Israel 'deeply regrets that a stray ammunition hit Gaza's Holy Family Church' (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP) The attack drew condemnation from world leaders and religious figures. Pope Leo XIV on Thursday renewed his call for an immediate ceasefire in response to the attack and US President Donald Trump called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to express his frustration. Israel on Thursday expressed regret over what it described as an accident and said it was investigating. The visit by religious leaders on Friday marked a rare entrance to the territory by a delegation of outsiders. With the exception of a trickle of aid workers and a small number of Palestinians needing medical care outside the territory, very few have been able to enter or exit Gaza since the start of Israel's latest offensive in May. At the time of the strike, the church compound was sheltering both Christians and Muslims, including a number of children with disabilities, according to Fadel Naem, acting director of the Al-Ahli Hospital, which received the casualties. The Catholic charity Caritas Jerusalem said the parish's 60-year-old janitor and an 84-year-old woman receiving psychosocial support inside a Caritas tent in the church compound were killed in the attack. Parish priest Gabriel Romanelli was lightly wounded. 'The Latin Patriarchate remains steadfast in its commitment to the Christian community and the entire population of Gaza. They will not be forgotten, nor will they be abandoned,' read the statement from Caritas. Palestinians say nowhere has felt safe since Israel launched its offensive in response to Hamas's attack in 2023 (Ohad Zwigenberg/AP) Mr Netanyahu released a statement saying Israel 'deeply regrets that a stray ammunition hit Gaza's Holy Family Church'. The Israeli military said an initial assessment indicated that 'fragments from a shell fired during operational activity in the area hit the church mistakenly'. It said it was still investigating. Israel has repeatedly struck schools, shelters, hospitals and other civilian buildings, accusing Hamas militants of sheltering inside and blaming them for civilian deaths. Palestinians say nowhere has felt safe since Israel launched its offensive in response to Hamas's attack on October 7 2023. Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack and abducted 251 people, most of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Fifty hostages are still being held, less than half of them believed to be alive. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 58,600 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which has said women and children make up more than half of the dead. It does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its tally. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government but is led by medical professionals. The United Nations and other international organisations consider its figures to be the most reliable count of war casualties.
