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One killed, several injured in armed attack on Syrian forces in Sweida
Armed groups attacked Syrian internal security forces in Sweida, killing one and injuring others, and fired shells at numerous communities in the violence-hit southern province, state-run Ekhbariya TV reported on Sunday.
According to a security source quoted in the article, the armed factions had broken the truce in the mostly Druze area, where hundreds of people were killed by factional violence last month.
On July 13, violence broke out in Sweida between tribal warriors and Druze factions. Government forces were dispatched to quiet the conflict, but the violence escalated, and Israel launched strikes against Syrian troops in the name of the Druze.
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The Druze are a minority offshoot of Islam with followers in Syria, Lebanon and Israel. Sweida province is predominantly Druze but is also home to Sunni tribes, and the communities have had long-standing tensions over land and other resources.
A U.S.-brokered truce ended the fighting, which had raged in Sweida city and surrounding towns for nearly a week. Syria said it would investigate the clashes, setting up a committee to investigate the attacks.
The Sweida bloodshed last month was a major test for interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, after a wave of sectarian violence in March that killed hundreds of Alawite citizens in the coastal region.
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3 hours ago
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When The Kashmir Files bagged the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration in 2021, many felt they were living in an alternate reality because in the past, films like Garm Hava, Tamas, and Dharm had won this prestigious honour whose name has now been changed to Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values. However, when put into context, the award appears to be in line with the present government's policy on Kashmir, where the abrogation of Article 370 is seen as aligning with its concept of national integration. Put in perspective, the jury's nod for The Kerala Story doesn't come as a surprise. Like The Kashmir Files, The Kerala Story has been openly backed by the top leadership of the BJP. It was declared tax-free in BJP-ruled states. Like the story of forced conversion depicted in the film, it appears to be a tool to brainwash the audience into believing a one-sided narrative. 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This year again, critically acclaimed films like Joram and Three of Us could not impress the jury. The criteria behind nominating an actor in a particular category have also been questioned. Seasoned actors Urvashi and Vijayaraghavan have been honoured with best actor in supporting role for Ullozhukku and Pookkaalam, but in the Kerala Film Critics Awards Vijayaraghavan won the best actor award while Urvashi bagged the best actress award in the Kerala State Film Awards for the same performance. More importantly, the jury often tilts towards the stature of the actor rather than his immediate performance. A link is usually drawn between the head of the jury and the actor. Ajay Devgn won the nod for Zakhm when Prakash Jha headed the jury. Ramesh Sippy led the jury when Amitabh Bachchan was selected for Paa and Piku, and Priyadarshan was at the helm when Akshay Kumar won the coveted award for Rustom. Sippy once told this journalist that one can question the choice but should not question the integrity of the jury. So, when Gowarikar announced the name of Shah Rukh, it seemed as if the director was correcting the wrong, as he had been denied the award for Swades, and Saif Ali Khan was surprisingly found more deserving for Hum Tum. It was the time when Sharmila Tagore was at the helm of affairs at the Central Board of Film Certification. ALSO READ: 'Jawan' movie review: Shah Rukh Khan is spectacular in Atlee's socially-charged thriller Moreover, if the political messaging of The Kerala Story serves the purpose of the ruling dispensation, the theme of Atlee's Jawan questions its politics. Shah Rukh plays Azaad, the son of a soldier, Vikram Rathore, who lectures the audience to ask those seeking their votes, 'What will they do for you?' Drawing from eminent Urdu poet Waseem Barelvi's popular couplet, he sings, 'Usulon Pe Jahan Aanch Aaye Takrana Zaroori, Banda Zinda Ho to Nazar Aana Zaroori Hai' (When principles are at stake, one must fight. This battle is what keeps you alive). There are strands of stolen EVMs, false charges against a Muslim doctor, and the villain of the piece is desperate to monetise the country's natural resources because he feels he can circumvent the democratic process. However, it may be a safer bet than Shah Rukh's Pathan, which is a little more layered in its depiction of dissent, where the villain is a rogue army man. Additionally, Jawan appears like a potent option to keep Prithviraj Sukumaran out of contention despite a brilliant turn in Aadujeevitham: The Goat Life. Interestingly, the film questions the practice of slavery in West Asia, where the enslaver and the enslaved person follow the same religion, but, unlike The Kerala Story, director Blessy makes it about humanity rather than a faith. Or, as Urvashi has suggested, Prithiviraj might have been 'snubbed due to the Empuraan controversy,' where, as a director, he dug up the ghost of the Gujarat riots. In contrast, Shah Rukh allegedly played a diplomatic role in the national interest without claiming credit. Our films may be losing depth, but our awards continue to follow a layered script!
