Syria forces deploy in Druze heartland after US brokers deal with Israel
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.
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"Kiama deserves an opportunity to hold a by-election and elect a new member to the NSW parliament that can give their absolute attention to the critical work of representing our community." 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Four sex offence convictions against a sitting MP aren't enough to expel him from parliament under "unworthy behaviour" provisions, his lawyer has argued. Gareth Ward, 44, remains the member for the NSW seat of Kiama, as he awaits sentencing for sexually assaulting an intoxicated political staffer after a midweek event in the state's parliament in 2015. The former families minister was also found to have sexually abused a drunken 18-year-old man at his South Coast home in 2013. A Labor-led vote to expel Ward from parliament, slated for Wednesday, was delayed after the Supreme Court ordered a halt at the MP's request. 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Justice Kirk also questioned whether the court could do anything or interfere in the government's processes, as there had been no orders made to appeal. The most serious charge against Ward, who is in custody, carries a maximum 14-year jail term. Mr King also argued that the move to expel Ward was punitive - denying the MP his chance to remain in parliament or go for re-election - if he successfully appealed the convictions. If Ward's appeal fails, he will be automatically expelled under a separate power. The move also denied Ward procedural fairness by denying him the chance to get up and oppose the motion in parliament, Mr King said. "In short, he is to be expelled by a kangaroo court," he said. Four MPs have been expelled from NSW parliament, the last in 1969 under the "unworthy conduct" power. Any expulsion of Ward will trigger a by-election in the NSW south coast electorate he has held since 2011. Initially running under the Liberal banner, he secured a 2023 poll win as an independent, despite having been charged with sexual assault and suspended from parliament. A vote to expel him is almost certain to pass with support from leaders of Labor and the coalition. NSW Premier Chris Minns said having an MP sitting in jail awaiting sentencing, while demanding to remain in parliament, was "an unconscionable situation". Opposition Leader Mark Speakman repeated calls for Ward to resign after the legal action prevented a parliamentary vote to expel him. Academic Tonia Gray - who contested Kiama for the Greens at the 2023 state election - told AAP Ward should vacate the seat after being found guilty. The ongoing distraction of his refusal to resign has been a disservice to the community, she said. "It's clearly not about the people of Kiama - it's all about Gareth," Dr Gray said. "Kiama deserves an opportunity to hold a by-election and elect a new member to the NSW parliament that can give their absolute attention to the critical work of representing our community." 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Four sex offence convictions against a sitting MP aren't enough to expel him from parliament under "unworthy behaviour" provisions, his lawyer has argued. Gareth Ward, 44, remains the member for the NSW seat of Kiama, as he awaits sentencing for sexually assaulting an intoxicated political staffer after a midweek event in the state's parliament in 2015. The former families minister was also found to have sexually abused a drunken 18-year-old man at his South Coast home in 2013. A Labor-led vote to expel Ward from parliament, slated for Wednesday, was delayed after the Supreme Court ordered a halt at the MP's request. His barrister told an urgent NSW Court of Appeal hearing on Thursday that a letter Ward received from the Labor government about the planned expulsion vote only referred to the convictions, and did not lay out a case for Ward's expulsion. The letter did not detail any "unworthy conduct" - the expulsion power Labor is relying on to turf Ward - Peter King told a panel of three judges. "Are you seriously submitting that the convictions of the counts ... are not conduct unworthy?" Chief Justice Andrew Bell asked. "The four counts are evidence of the fact of conviction but they're not evidence of the facts which underlie that conviction," Mr King said. When the barrister tried again to make the same argument, Justice Jeremy Kirk chimed in. "There can't be any mystery about it, he was tried publicly on an indictment," the judge said. "He, of all people, must know what behaviour led to his conviction." Justice Kirk also questioned whether the court could do anything or interfere in the government's processes, as there had been no orders made to appeal. The most serious charge against Ward, who is in custody, carries a maximum 14-year jail term. Mr King also argued that the move to expel Ward was punitive - denying the MP his chance to remain in parliament or go for re-election - if he successfully appealed the convictions. If Ward's appeal fails, he will be automatically expelled under a separate power. The move also denied Ward procedural fairness by denying him the chance to get up and oppose the motion in parliament, Mr King said. "In short, he is to be expelled by a kangaroo court," he said. Four MPs have been expelled from NSW parliament, the last in 1969 under the "unworthy conduct" power. Any expulsion of Ward will trigger a by-election in the NSW south coast electorate he has held since 2011. Initially running under the Liberal banner, he secured a 2023 poll win as an independent, despite having been charged with sexual assault and suspended from parliament. A vote to expel him is almost certain to pass with support from leaders of Labor and the coalition. NSW Premier Chris Minns said having an MP sitting in jail awaiting sentencing, while demanding to remain in parliament, was "an unconscionable situation". Opposition Leader Mark Speakman repeated calls for Ward to resign after the legal action prevented a parliamentary vote to expel him. Academic Tonia Gray - who contested Kiama for the Greens at the 2023 state election - told AAP Ward should vacate the seat after being found guilty. The ongoing distraction of his refusal to resign has been a disservice to the community, she said. "It's clearly not about the people of Kiama - it's all about Gareth," Dr Gray said. "Kiama deserves an opportunity to hold a by-election and elect a new member to the NSW parliament that can give their absolute attention to the critical work of representing our community." 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Four sex offence convictions against a sitting MP aren't enough to expel him from parliament under "unworthy behaviour" provisions, his lawyer has argued. Gareth Ward, 44, remains the member for the NSW seat of Kiama, as he awaits sentencing for sexually assaulting an intoxicated political staffer after a midweek event in the state's parliament in 2015. The former families minister was also found to have sexually abused a drunken 18-year-old man at his South Coast home in 2013. A Labor-led vote to expel Ward from parliament, slated for Wednesday, was delayed after the Supreme Court ordered a halt at the MP's request. His barrister told an urgent NSW Court of Appeal hearing on Thursday that a letter Ward received from the Labor government about the planned expulsion vote only referred to the convictions, and did not lay out a case for Ward's expulsion. The letter did not detail any "unworthy conduct" - the expulsion power Labor is relying on to turf Ward - Peter King told a panel of three judges. "Are you seriously submitting that the convictions of the counts ... are not conduct unworthy?" Chief Justice Andrew Bell asked. "The four counts are evidence of the fact of conviction but they're not evidence of the facts which underlie that conviction," Mr King said. When the barrister tried again to make the same argument, Justice Jeremy Kirk chimed in. "There can't be any mystery about it, he was tried publicly on an indictment," the judge said. "He, of all people, must know what behaviour led to his conviction." Justice Kirk also questioned whether the court could do anything or interfere in the government's processes, as there had been no orders made to appeal. The most serious charge against Ward, who is in custody, carries a maximum 14-year jail term. Mr King also argued that the move to expel Ward was punitive - denying the MP his chance to remain in parliament or go for re-election - if he successfully appealed the convictions. If Ward's appeal fails, he will be automatically expelled under a separate power. The move also denied Ward procedural fairness by denying him the chance to get up and oppose the motion in parliament, Mr King said. "In short, he is to be expelled by a kangaroo court," he said. Four MPs have been expelled from NSW parliament, the last in 1969 under the "unworthy conduct" power. Any expulsion of Ward will trigger a by-election in the NSW south coast electorate he has held since 2011. Initially running under the Liberal banner, he secured a 2023 poll win as an independent, despite having been charged with sexual assault and suspended from parliament. A vote to expel him is almost certain to pass with support from leaders of Labor and the coalition. NSW Premier Chris Minns said having an MP sitting in jail awaiting sentencing, while demanding to remain in parliament, was "an unconscionable situation". Opposition Leader Mark Speakman repeated calls for Ward to resign after the legal action prevented a parliamentary vote to expel him. Academic Tonia Gray - who contested Kiama for the Greens at the 2023 state election - told AAP Ward should vacate the seat after being found guilty. The ongoing distraction of his refusal to resign has been a disservice to the community, she said. "It's clearly not about the people of Kiama - it's all about Gareth," Dr Gray said. "Kiama deserves an opportunity to hold a by-election and elect a new member to the NSW parliament that can give their absolute attention to the critical work of representing our community." 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
