Latest news with #bloodshed
Reuters
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Reuters
US envoy urges Syria's Sharaa to revise policy or risk fragmentation
BEIRUT, July 22 (Reuters) - A U.S. envoy has urged Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to recalibrate his policies and embrace a more inclusive approach after a new round of sectarian bloodshed last week, or risk losing international support and fragmenting the country. U.S. envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack said he had advised Sharaa in private discussions to revisit elements of the pre-war army structure, scale back Islamist indoctrination and seek regional security assistance. In an interview in Beirut, Barrack told Reuters that without swift change, Sharaa risks losing the momentum that once propelled him to power. Sharaa should say: "I'm going to adapt quickly, because if I don't adapt quickly, I'm going to lose the energy of the universe that was behind me," Barrack said. He said Sharaa could "grow up as a president and say, 'the right thing for me to do is not to follow my theme, which isn't working so well.'" Sharaa, leader of a former Al Qaeda offshoot, came to power in Syria after guerilla fighters he led brought down President Bashar al-Assad in December last year after more than 13 years of civil war. Though his own fighters have roots in Sunni Muslim militancy, Sharaa has promised to protect members of Syria's many sectarian minorities. But that pledge has been challenged, first by mass killings of members of Assad's Alawite sect in March, and now by the latest violence in the southwest. Hundreds of people have been reported killed in clashes in the southern province of Sweida between Druze fighters, Sunni Bedouin tribes and Sharaa's own forces. Israel intervened with airstrikes to prevent what it said was mass killing of Druze by government forces. Barrack said the new government should consider being "more inclusive quicker" when it comes to integrating minorities into the ruling structure. But he also pushed back against reports that Syrian security forces were responsible for violations against Druze civilians. He suggested that Islamic State group militants may have been disguised in government uniforms and that social media videos are easily doctored and therefore unreliable. "The Syrian troops haven't gone into the city. These atrocities that are happening are not happening by the Syrian regime troops. They're not even in the city because they agreed with Israel that they would not go in," he said. The U.S. helped broker a ceasefire last week that brought an end to the fighting, which erupted between Bedouin tribal fighters and Druze factions on July 13. Barrack said the stakes in Syria are dangerously high, with no succession plan or viable alternative to the country's new Islamist government. "With this Syrian regime, there is no plan B. If this Syrian regime fails, somebody is trying to instigate it to fail," Barrack said. "For what purpose? There's no successor." Asked if Syria could follow the dire scenarios of Libya and Afghanistan, he said: "Yes, or even worse." The U.S. has said it did not support Israel's airstrikes on Syria. Barrack said the strikes had added to the "confusion" in Syria. Israel says Syria's new rulers are dangerous militants, and has vowed to keep government troops out of the southwest and protect Syria's Druze minority in the area, encouraged by calls from Israel's own Druze community. Barrack said his message to Israel is to have dialogue to alleviate their concerns about Syria's new Sunni leaders and that the U.S. could play the role of an "honest intermediary" to help resolve any concerns. He said Sharaa had signaled from the beginning of his rule that Israel was not his enemy and that he could normalise ties in due time. He said the United States was not dictating what the political format of Syria should be, other than stability, unity, fairness and inclusion. "If they end up with a federalist government, that's their determination. And the answer to the question is, everybody may now need to adapt."
Arab News
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
US envoy urges Syria's Sharaa to revise policy or risk fragmentation
BEIRUT: A US envoy has urged Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa to recalibrate his policies and embrace a more inclusive approach after a new round of sectarian bloodshed last week, or risk losing international support and fragmenting the envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack said he had advised Sharaa in private discussions to revisit elements of the pre-war army structure, scale back Islamist indoctrination and seek regional security an interview in Beirut, Barrack told Reuters that without swift change, Sharaa risks losing the momentum that once propelled him to should say: 'I'm going to adapt quickly, because if I don't adapt quickly, I'm going to lose the energy of the universe that was behind me,' Barrack said. He said Sharaa could 'grow up as a president and say, 'the right thing for me to do is not to follow my theme, which isn't working so well.''Sharaa, leader of a former Al-Qaeda offshoot, came to power in Syria after fighters he led brought down President Bashar Assad in December last year after more than 13 years of civil his own fighters have roots in Sunni Muslim militancy, Sharaa has promised to protect members of Syria's many sectarian minorities. But that pledge has been challenged, first by mass killings of members of Assad's Alawite sect in March, and now by the latest violence in the of people have been reported killed in clashes in the southern province of Sweida between Druze fighters, Sunni Bedouin tribes and Sharaa's own forces. Israel intervened with airstrikes to prevent what it said was mass killing of Druze by government said the new government should consider being 'more inclusive quicker' when it comes to integrating minorities into the ruling he also pushed back against reports that Syrian security forces were responsible for violations against Druze civilians. He suggested that Daesh group militants may have been disguised in government uniforms and that social media videos are easily doctored and therefore unreliable.'The Syrian troops haven't gone into the city. These atrocities that are happening are not happening by the Syrian regime troops. They're not even in the city because they agreed with Israel that they would not go in,' he said.'No successor' to SharaaThe US helped broker a ceasefire last week that brought an end to the fighting, which erupted between Bedouin tribal fighters and Druze factions on July said the stakes in Syria are dangerously high, with no succession plan or viable alternative to the country's new government.'With this Syrian regime, there is no plan B. If this Syrian regime fails, somebody is trying to instigate it to fail,' Barrack said. 'For what purpose? There's no successor.'Asked if Syria could follow the dire scenarios of Libya and Afghanistan, he said: 'Yes, or even worse.'The US has said it did not support Israel's airstrikes on Syria. Barrack said the strikes had added to the 'confusion' in says Syria's new rulers are dangerous militants, and has vowed to keep government troops out of the southwest and protect Syria's Druze minority in the area, encouraged by calls from Israel's own Druze said his message to Israel is to have dialogue to alleviate their concerns about Syria's new Sunni leaders and that the US could play the role of an 'honest intermediary' to help resolve any said Sharaa had signaled from the beginning of his rule that Israel was not his enemy and that he could normalize ties in due said the United States was not dictating what the political format of Syria should be, other than stability, unity, fairness and inclusion.'If they end up with a federalist government, that's their determination. And the answer to the question is, everybody may now need to adapt.'
Al Arabiya
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
US envoy urges Syria's al-Sharaa to revise policy or risk fragmentation
A US envoy has urged Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to recalibrate his policies and embrace a more inclusive approach after a new round of sectarian bloodshed last week, or risk losing international support and fragmenting the country. US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said he had advised Sharaa in private discussions to revisit elements of the pre-war army structure, scale back Islamist indoctrination and seek regional security assistance. In an interview in Beirut, Barrack told Reuters that without swift change, Sharaa risks losing the momentum that once propelled him to power. Sharaa should say: 'I'm going to adapt quickly, because if I don't adapt quickly, I'm going to lose the energy of the universe that was behind me,' Barrack said. He said Sharaa could 'grow up as a president and say, 'the right thing for me to do is not to follow my theme, which isn't working so well.'' Sharaa, leader of a former al-Qaeda offshoot, came to power in Syria after guerilla fighters he led brought down Bashar al-Assad in December last year after more than 13 years of civil war. Sharaa has promised to protect members of Syria's many sectarian minorities. But that pledge has been challenged, first by mass killings of members of the Alawite sect in March, and now by the latest violence in the southwest. Hundreds of people have been reported killed in clashes in the southern province of Sweida between Druze fighters, Bedouin tribes and Sharaa's own forces. Israel intervened with airstrikes to prevent what it said was mass killing of Druze by government forces. Barrack said the new government should consider being 'more inclusive quicker' when it comes to integrating minorities into the ruling structure. But he also pushed back against reports that Syrian security forces were responsible for violations against Druze civilians. He suggested that ISIS militants may have been disguised in government uniforms and that social media videos are easily doctored and therefore unreliable. 'The Syrian troops haven't gone into the city. These atrocities that are happening are not happening by the Syrian regime troops. They're not even in the city because they agreed with Israel that they would not go in,' he said. 'No successor' to al-Sharaa The US helped broker a ceasefire last week that brought an end to the fighting, which erupted between Bedouin tribal fighters and Druze factions on July 13. Barrack said the stakes in Syria are dangerously high, with no succession plan or viable alternative to the country's new government. 'With this Syrian regime, there is no plan B. If this Syrian regime fails, somebody is trying to instigate it to fail,' Barrack said. 'For what purpose? There's no successor.' Asked if Syria could follow the dire scenarios of Libya and Afghanistan, he said: 'Yes, or even worse.' The US has said it did not support Israel's airstrikes on Syria. Barrack said the strikes had added to the 'confusion' in Syria. Israel says Syria's new rulers are dangerous militants and has vowed to keep government troops out of the southwest and protect Syria's Druze minority in the area, encouraged by calls from Israel's own Druze community. Barrack said his message to Israel is to have dialogue to alleviate their concerns about Syria's new leaders and that the US could play the role of an 'honest intermediary' to help resolve any concerns. He said al-Sharaa had signaled from the beginning of his rule that Israel was not his enemy and that he could normalize ties in due time. He said the United States was not dictating what the political format of Syria should be, other than stability, unity, fairness and inclusion. 'If they end up with a federalist government, that's their determination. And the answer to the question is, everybody may now need to adapt.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
News Analysis: Syria's sectarian clashes, Israeli airstrikes and a wary peace: What to know
More than a week of sectarian bloodshed in Syria has given way to a wary truce, pausing a fight that drew Israel into an unprecedented confrontation with Syria's new authorities while raising fresh questions on whether those leaders can steer the country past the fractures of its 14-year civil war. The fighting in Sweida, the southern province bordering Jordan and near Israel, began last week between militiamen from the Druze religious minority and Sunni Muslim tribes. It soon embroiled Syrian government forces and Israel in a chaotic battlefield that saw hundreds killed — some in sectarian-fueled revenge attacks — and more than 128,000 people displaced before a U.S.-backed ceasefire was announced Sunday. The violence underscores the challenges facing the government of President Ahmad al-Sharaa, a rebel-turned-politician whose armed faction spearheaded the ouster of Syrian dictator Bashar Assad in December. Since then, Al-Sharaa's Islamist-dominated government has struggled to win the trust of minority communities in the country and failed to persuade militias formed during the civil war to disarm or fall under Damascus' authority. Here's a breakdown of what's happening in Sweida and why many believe it could derail Syria's delicate postwar recovery. How did the clashes start? Before the fighting erupted July 13, tensions were already high after a spate of kidnappings and robberies between Druze communities in Sweida and nearby Bedouin tribes. As the unrest grew into open conflict involving Druze militias and armed Bedouins, the government dispatched its forces to stop the fighting. But some Druze leaders said the government aided the Bedouins instead; they also accused government-aligned security personnel of committing sectarian-motivated rampages, looting and executions against Druze civilians. Read more: Sectarian violence erupts again in Syria, leaving at least 160 dead Druze militias launched a counterattack and retaliated with a wave of killings and kidnappings against Bedouin fighters and civilians. Israel entered the fray with an airstrike campaign targeting Syria's security forces and tanks, as well as the army headquarters and the presidential palace in Damascus, the capital. The violence left roughly 1,260 dead, most of them Druze fighters and civilians, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group based in Britain. It also said government forces carried out summary executions. Included in the death toll are hundreds of state security personnel. Who are the Druze? The Druze, who make up roughly 3% of Syria's population, are members of a syncretic religion that emerged in the 11th century as an offshoot of Shiite Islam. There are roughly 1 million Druze worldwide, more than half of them in Syria, and most of the rest in Lebanon, Israel and the Golan Heights, which Israel has illegally occupied — according to international law — since 1967. During the civil war, the Druze were largely unwilling to ally with Assad but were wary of the opposition, which was dominated by hard-line Sunni Islamist groups, some of whom viewed Druze as infidels. The Druze formed militias for protection. Read more: 'From dictatorship to occupation': Syrian civilians caught in Israeli advance When Assad fell, many Druze celebrated. But some spiritual and militia leaders — like other minority communities across the country — remained suspicious of Al-Sharaa and his Islamist past, which once included affiliation with the terrorist network Al Qaeda. They resisted his calls to disarm and insisted they would cede power only to a representative government. Waves of sectarian attacks have only reinforced their suspicions of Al-Sharaa: In March, government-linked factions massacred about 1,500 people, mostly from the Alawite sect, and in May, clashes in Druze-majority areas near the capital left 39 people dead. How did Israel get involved? Israel has entrenched itself in the neighboring country since Assad's fall, with warplanes launching a wide-scale attack to destroy the Syrian army's arsenal even as Israeli tanks and troops blitzed into Syria and commandeered villages near the border. Since then, it has consolidated its presence and operated ever deeper in Syrian territory, justifying the moves as necessary for its security and to stop armed groups, government-aligned or otherwise, from launching attacks on Israel from Syrian territory. Israel has also imposed what is in effect a demilitarized zone over southern Syria, including Sweida, preventing the Syrian army from establishing its authority over the region. Read more: Israel bombs Damascus military HQ as sectarian strife rages in Syria Critics say Israel is engaging in a land grab aimed at keeping Syria a weak and fragmented neighbor. Another reason for Israel's intervention is its own Druze population, a vocal minority of about 145,000 people, some of whom serve in the Israeli military. Over the last few months, Israeli troops have offered assistance to Syrian Druze communities. And when the Sweida fighting began, Israeli Druze citizens demonstrated near the border, calling on the Israeli military to protect their fellow Druze in Syria. Despite those overtures, many Syrian Druze fear Israel's growing presence in their areas and have sought a diplomatic resolution to their differences with the Syrian government. Others, such as Hikmat al-Hijri, an influential Druze spiritual leader opposed to Al-Sharaa, have repeatedly called for foreign protection. What is happening with the ceasefire? Hours after the ceasefire took effect late Sunday, the Syrian government evacuated about 1,500 Bedouin family members trapped in Sweida city. Druze civilians were to be evacuated at a later time. Other phases of the truce will see the release of detained Bedouin fighters and the bodies of Bedouins killed in the fighting. Is the U.S. playing a role? The U.S. was involved in brokering the ceasefire. More generally, Trump administration officials have thrown their support behind Al-Sharaa, lifting years-old sanctions that had all but choked the country's economy and shepherding diplomatic contacts with Israel. Speaking to reporters Monday in Beirut, the Lebanese capital, U.S. envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said Syrian authorities needed to be held accountable for violations but 'they also need to be given the responsibility that' is theirs. Read more: U.S. envoy doubles down on support for Syria's government and criticizes Israel's intervention Earlier, in an interview with the Associated Press, he deplored the killings but said the Syrian government was acting 'as best [it] can as a nascent government with very few resources to address the multiplicity of issues that arise in trying to bring a diverse society together.' He also suggested Israel wasn't interested in seeing a strong Syria. 'Strong nation-states are a threat. Especially, Arab states are viewed as a threat to Israel,' he said. But in Syria, he said, 'I think all of the the minority communities are smart enough to say, 'We're better off together, centralized.'' Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Japan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Times
Calm reported in Syria's Sweida, as Damascus says truce holding
Residents reported calm in Syria's Sweida on Sunday after the Islamist-led government announced that Bedouin fighters had withdrawn from the predominantly Druze city and a U.S. envoy signaled that a deal to end days of fighting was being implemented. With hundreds reported killed, the Sweida bloodshed is a major test for interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, prompting Israel to launch airstrikes against government forces last week as it declared support for the Druze. Fighting continued on Saturday despite a ceasefire call. Interior Minister Anas Khattab said Sunday that internal security forces had managed to calm the situation and enforce the ceasefire, "paving the way for a prisoner exchange and the gradual return of stability throughout the governorate." Images showed Interior Ministry forces near the city, blocking the road in front of members of tribes congregated there. The ministry said late Saturday that Bedouin fighters had left the city. U.S. envoy Tom Barrack said the sides had "navigated to a pause and cessation of hostilities." "The next foundation stone on a path to inclusion, and lasting de-escalation, is a complete exchange of hostages and detainees, the logistics of which are in process," he wrote on X. Kenan Azzam, a dentist, said there was an uneasy calm but the city's residents were struggling with a lack of water and electricity. "The hospitals are a disaster and out of service, and there are still so many dead and wounded," he said by phone. Another resident, Raed Khazaal, said aid was urgently needed. "Houses are destroyed. ... The smell of corpses is spread throughout the national hospital," he said in a voice message from Sweida. The Syrian state news agency said an aid convoy sent to the city by the government was refused entry while aid organized by the Syrian Red Crescent was let in. A source familiar with the situation said local factions in Sweida had turned back the government convoy. Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported on Sunday that Israel sent urgent medical aid to the Druze in Sweida and the step was coordinated with Washington and Syria. Spokespeople for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Foreign Ministry and the military did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Tribal fighters stand next to a government checkpoint in the town of Busra al-Hariri, east of the city of Sweida, Syria, on Sunday. | AFP-JIJI The Druze are a small but influential minority in Syria, Israel and Lebanon who follow a religion that is an offshoot of a branch of Shiite Islam. Some hard-line Sunnis deem their beliefs heretical. The fighting began a week ago with clashes between Bedouin and Druze fighters. Damascus sent troops to quell the fighting, but they were drawn into the violence and accused of widespread violations against the Druze. Residents of the predominantly Druze city said friends and neighbors were shot at close range in their homes or in the streets by Syrian troops, identified by their fatigues and insignia. Al-Sharaa on Thursday promised to protect the rights of Druze and to hold to account those who committed violations against "our Druze people." He has blamed the violence on "outlaw groups." While al-Sharaa has won U.S. backing since meeting President Donald Trump in May, the violence has underscored the challenge he faces stitching back together a country shattered by 14 years of conflict, and added to pressures on its mosaic of sectarian and ethnic groups. After Israel bombed Syrian government forces in Sweida and hit the Defense Ministry in Damascus last week, Netanyahu said Israel had established a policy demanding the demilitarization of territory near the border, stretching from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights to the Druze Mountain, east of Sweida. He also said Israel would protect the Druze. The United States however said it did not support the Israeli strikes. On Friday, an Israeli official said Israel agreed to allow Syrian forces limited access to the Sweida area for two days. A Syrian security source said that internal security forces had taken up positions near Sweida, establishing checkpoints in western and eastern parts of the province where retreating tribal fighters had gathered. On Sunday, al-Sharaa received the report of an inquiry into violence in Syria's coastal region in March, where Syrian forces killed 1,500 members of the Alawite minority in June following attacks on security forces. The presidency said it would review the inquiry's conclusions and ensure steps to "bring about justice" and prevent the recurrence of "such violations." It called on the inquiry to hold a news conference on its findings — if appropriate — as soon as possible. The Syrian Network for Human Rights said Friday it had documented the deaths of at least 321 people in Sweida province since July 13. The preliminary toll included civilians, women, children, Bedouin fighters, members of local groups and members of the security forces, it said, and the dead included people killed in field executions by both sides. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, another monitoring group, has reported a death toll of at least 940 people. Reporters could not independently verify the tolls.
