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Syrian Druze religious minority leaders accused the government of violating a ceasefire agreement aimed at stopping the fatal battle between local militias and factions in the country’s South Sweida province.
The clash began over the weekend, with attacks and attacks between local Sunni Bedouins in Sweida, a hub of the Deleuze community, and members of the Druze armed fact. Dozens of people have been killed and thousands have been evacuated.
Government security forces deployed in the province’s capital city of Sweida clashed with armed groups in Druze on Monday to restore order.
The Syrian Human Rights Observatory, a UK-based war monitor, said on Tuesday that at least 100 people were killed in the battle, including two children and 16 members of the security forces.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Druze spiritual leaders sought the armed faction, who had collided with government forces and abandoned their weapons and worked with the authorities when they entered the city.
In the first statement, Sweida’s armed fact was called “to work with the Interior Ministry forces to resist their entry and hand over their weapons.”
Ahmad al-Dalati, Governor Sweida’s internal security commander, welcomed the statement and called for “all religious authorities and social activists to adopt a unified national stance.”
However, hours later, Sheikh Hikumat Al Hairi, the influential Druze leader against the new Damascus government, issued a video message saying that earlier statements from the minority had been “imposed” by Damascus.
“They broke their promises and continued to fire indiscriminately unarmed civilians,” Al Hairi said in a video message.
“We are exposed to annihilation war,” he said.
A video shared on social media showed that armed fighters with Druze Captives incited hate-filled slogans and defeated them. EuroNews was unable to independently verify the video.
Shortly after the release of Al-Hajri’s video message, Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra issued a statement announcing a full ceasefire is in place, saying that “we will only respond to the source of the fire and deal with targeting by outlaw groups.”
Israeli intervention
The attacks by lightning rebels led by Sunni rebel groups have led to clashes between government-loyal and Druze fighters since President Bashar al-Assad collapsed in early December.
The latest fighting sparked fears of another spiral of violence, and encouraged concerns about expanding Israeli intervention.
Israeli forces said in a statement Tuesday that they have attacked several military vehicles in the Sweida area.
Previous joint statements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said the country is working to protect Syrian Druze and is taking action to “prevent the Syrian regime from hurting them.”
Israel previously intervened in Syria to defend the minority. In Israel, Druzes are considered a loyal minority and often serves the army.
Druze, a group that split from Ismaili’s Shiasm in the 10th century, is concentrated in certain Damascus suburbs such as Sweida, Jaramana and Ashrafiathsanaya.
During Syria’s 14-year civil war, the Druze factions formed their own militia, and remained largely self-governed.
Many Syrian druzes say they don’t want Israel to intervene on their behalf, but minority factions are skeptical of new authorities in Damascus.
Additional sources •AP
