Sectarian Clashes in Syria Kill More Than 50, Health Official and Rights Group Say
The clashes in the southern province of Sweida underscore the difficulty the new government led by President Ahmed al-Shara has had in asserting control over the country since ousting the regime of Bashar al-Assad in December. The Druse militias have resisted efforts by the government to unify all armed groups under its authority.
In the clashes that began on Sunday, more than 150 people were injured, said a local health official who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the situation.
More than two children were among the dead, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group.
The Syrian government called for restraint and sent military forces to 'quickly and decisively' resolve the conflict, the Defense Ministry said in a statement released on social media. It added that its forces were providing safe passage for civilians trying to flee the area.
Eighteen soldiers who were sent to the region to quell the violence on Monday were killed, according to a defense official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to speak publicly about sensitive matters related to military activities.
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