logo
Syria forces deploy in Druze heartland after US brokers deal with Israel

Syria forces deploy in Druze heartland after US brokers deal with Israel

France 2419-07-2025
Israel had bombed defence ministry forces in both Sweida and Damascus earlier this week to force their withdrawal after they were accused of summary executions and other abuses against Druze civilians during their brief deployment in the southern province.
More than 700 people have been killed in Sweida since Sunday as sectarian clashes between the Druze and Sunni Bedouin drew in the Islamist-led government, Israel and armed tribes from other parts of Syria.
The office of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced an "immediate ceasefire" in Sweida which it called on "all parties to fully respect".
But AFP correspondents in and around the city reported gunfire and sporadic rocket fire and explosions as Druze fighters battled armed Bedouin who had seized some neighbourhoods on Friday with the support of volunteers from other parts of Syria.
The Observatory, a Britain-based war monitor, said the armed volunteers had been deployed with the support of the Islamist-led government although an AFP journalist said security personnel were manning checkpoints on Saturday to prevent further reinforcements getting through.
Druze fighters said the volunteers were mostly Islamists, who advanced to shouts of "Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest)".
One armed tribesman told AFP he had come to fight against the Druze clergy and their "pig followers".
"Today we came to their homes and we will slaughter them in their homes," he said.
US-brokered deal
The deal between the Islamist-government and Israel was announced by Washington early on Saturday Damascus time.
US pointman on Syria, Tom Barrack, said interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "have agreed to a ceasefire" negotiated by the United States.
Barrack, who is US ambassador to Ankara, said the deal had the backing of Turkey, a key supporter of Sharaa, as well as neighbouring Jordan.
"We call upon Druze, Bedouins and Sunnis to put down their weapons and together with other minorities build a new and united Syrian identity in peace and prosperity with its neighbours," he wrote on X.
The US administration, which has sided with Turkey and Saudi Arabia in forging ties with the Islamist president despite his past links with Al-Qaeda, was critical of its Israeli ally's air strikes on Sria earlier this week and had sought a way out for his government.
Sharaa followed up on the US announcement with a televised speech in which he renewed his pledge to protect Syria's ethnic and religious minorities.
"The Syrian state is committed to protecting all minorities and communities in the country... We condemn all crimes committed" in Sweida, he said.
The president paid tribute to the "important role played by the United States, which again showed its support for Syria in these difficult circumstances and its concern for the country's stability".
He also thanked Turkey and Arab countries for their support.
'No more room in morgue'
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said at least 718 people had been killed since Sunday.
They included 146 Druze fighters and 245 Druze civilians, 165 of whom were summarily executed.
The monitor said 287 government troops and 18 Bedouin fighters were also killed along with three Bedouin "who were summarily executed by Druze fighters".
Fifteen more government troops were killed in Israeli air strikes.
In the corridors of the city's main public hospital, a foul odour emanated from the swollen and disfigured bodies piled up in refrigerated storage units, an AFP correspondent reported.
A small number of doctors and nurses at the hospital worked to treat the wounded arriving from the ongoing clashes, some in the hallways.
Doctor Omar Obeid told AFP that the hospital had received "more than 400 bodies" since Monday morning.
"There is no more room in the morgue. The bodies are in the street," he added.
The International Committee for the Red Cross warned that health facilities were overwhelmed, with power cuts impeding the preservation of bodies in overflowing morgues.
"The humanitarian situation in Sweida is critical. People are running out of everything," said Stephan Sakalian, the head of the ICRC's delegation in Syria.
The International Organization for Migration said 79,339 civilians had fled the fighting.
burs-kir/ysm
© 2025 AFP
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Syria: After Druze killings, Sweida barricades itself in defiance of Syrian authorities
Syria: After Druze killings, Sweida barricades itself in defiance of Syrian authorities

LeMonde

time2 hours ago

  • LeMonde

Syria: After Druze killings, Sweida barricades itself in defiance of Syrian authorities

The residential dead end of Masakin al-Khoudr resembles a war zone. Cars have been crushed by tanks. Buildings are pockmarked with bullet holes. Some apartments are charred. At the foot of one building, Abu Ahmed and his neighbors stood guard with rifles slung over their shoulders on Wednesday, July 23, eight days after government forces entered their neighborhood in western Sweida. "I am protecting my house and my children in case the army comes back, even though I couldn't do much against a tank," admitted the 50-year-old vegetable grower, wearing the white skullcap and mustache typical of the Druze. Encircled by Bedouin tribal fighters and government forces, the majority-Druze city in southern Syria remains on high alert despite the ceasefire in effect since Saturday, July 19. Residents have barricaded themselves in fear of another offensive. Clashes continue between Druze factions and Bedouins in villages north and west of the city. Roadblocks, marked by mounds of earth and manned by local fighters, dot the city and surrounding countryside. The Sweida Military Council – a coalition of Druze factions formed after the fall of the al-Assad regime in December 2024 – escorts journalists inside the city. Civilians walk around with Kalashnikovs slung over their shoulders, prepared for any eventuality. Weapons are commonplace in this province, which had been left to criminal gangs and local factions after the 2011 revolution, and which was targeted in 2018 by an attack from the Islamic State group (IS). "I raised my sons not to hurt anyone. I won't teach them how to use weapons. We want peace in our country, Syria. But foreigners are attacking us," said Ahmed, standing with his two sons, aged 13 and 16. He insisted that foreign fighters were among those who attacked the neighborhood.

Gaza: Israel says air drops of aid will resume soon over the Strip
Gaza: Israel says air drops of aid will resume soon over the Strip

France 24

time8 hours ago

  • France 24

Gaza: Israel says air drops of aid will resume soon over the Strip

04:35 26/07/2025 Gaza: Protesters across the world demand aid access to the Strip Middle East 25/07/2025 Gaza: 25% children are malnourished, says MSF Middle East 25/07/2025 Gaza on the brink of mass starvation Middle East 25/07/2025 US quits Gaza ceasefire talks, accuses Hamas of lacking 'good faith' Middle East 25/07/2025 Macron defies Israeli and US opposition to French plan to recognize Palestine at the United Nations France 25/07/2025 US 'strongly rejects' French plan to recognise Palestine, Saudis hail 'historic decision' France 25/07/2025 French President Macron says France will recognize Palestine as a state France 24/07/2025 Gaza: 'War is far-ranging and it needs to stop for those in Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel as well' Middle East 24/07/2025 Protests against the Gaza war in Tel-Aviv outside US embassy Middle East

Thai-Cambodian border clashes kill at least 33 amid UN call for 'restraint'
Thai-Cambodian border clashes kill at least 33 amid UN call for 'restraint'

France 24

time11 hours ago

  • France 24

Thai-Cambodian border clashes kill at least 33 amid UN call for 'restraint'

Thailand and Cambodia clashed for a third day on Saturday, as the death toll from their bloodiest fighting in years rose to 33 and Phnom Penh called for an 'immediate ceasefire'. A long-running border dispute erupted into intense conflict involving jets, artillery, tanks and ground troops on Thursday, prompting the UN Security Council to hold an emergency meeting on the crisis Friday. Cambodia's defence ministry said 13 people were now confirmed killed in the fighting, including eight civilians and five soldiers, with 71 people wounded. In Thailand, the army said five soldiers were killed on Friday, taking the toll there to 20 -- 14 civilians and six military. The death toll across the two countries is now higher than the 28 killed in the last major round of fighting between 2008 and 2011. Both sides reported a clash around 5:00 am (2200 Friday GMT), with Cambodia accusing Thai forces of firing 'five heavy artillery shells' into locations in Pursat province, which borders Thailand's Trat province. The fighting has forced more than 138,000 people to be evacuated from Thailand's border regions, with more than 35,000 driven from their homes in Cambodia. After the closed meeting of the Security Council in New York, Cambodia's UN ambassador Chhea Keo said his country wanted a ceasefire. 'Cambodia asked for an immediate ceasefire—unconditionally—and we also call for the peaceful solution of the dispute,' he told reporters. Border row Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Nikorndej Balankura said Friday, before the UN meeting was held, that Bangkok was open to talks, possibly aided by Malaysia. 'We are ready, if Cambodia would like to settle this matter via diplomatic channels, bilaterally, or even through Malaysia, we are ready to do that. But so far we have not had any response,' Nikorndej told AFP. Malaysia currently holds the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations regional bloc, of which Thailand and Cambodia are both members. Acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has warned that if the situation escalates, 'it could develop into war.' Both sides blamed each other for firing first, while Thailand accused Cambodia of targeting civilian infrastructure, including a hospital hit by shells and a petrol station hit by at least one rocket. Cambodia has accused Thai forces of using cluster munitions. At the UN, Cambodia's envoy questioned Thailand's assertion that his country, which is smaller and less militarily developed than its neighbour, had initiated the conflict. '(The Security Council) called for both parties to (show) maximum restraint and resort to a diplomatic solution. That is what we are calling for as well,' said Chhea Keo. The fighting marks a dramatic escalation in a long-running dispute between the neighbours—both popular destinations for millions of foreign tourists—over their shared 800-kilometre (500-mile) border. Dozens of kilometres in several areas are contested and fighting broke out between 2008 and 2011, leaving at least 28 people dead and tens of thousands displaced. A UN court ruling in 2013 settled the matter for over a decade, but the current crisis erupted in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a new clash.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store