Syrian Forces Enter Druze City After Deadly Clashes
The southern city had been under the control of armed factions from the Druze minority, whose religious leaders said they had approved the deployment of Damascus's troops and called on fighters to hand over their weapons.
A curfew was to be imposed on the southern city in a bid to halt the violence, which erupted at the weekend and has since spread across Sweida governorate.
Government forces said they intervened to separate the two sides but ended up taking control of several Druze areas around Sweida, an AFP correspondent reported.
Military columns were seen advancing toward Sweida on Tuesday morning, with heavy artillery deployed nearby.
The defence ministry said later that they had entered the city, and urged people to "stay home and report any movements of outlaw groups".
An AFP correspondent heard explosions and gunshots as soldiers moved into Sweida.
Troops had begun heading towards the city on Monday, taking control of at least one Druze village, with one Druze faction saying talks were underway with the Damascus government.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor reported 99 people killed since the fighting erupted on Sunday -- 60 Druze, including four civilians, 18 Bedouin fighters, 14 security personnel and seven unidentified people in military uniforms.
The defence ministry reported 18 deaths among the ranks of the armed forces.
While Druze religious authorities had called on Monday evening for a ceasefire and said they didn't oppose the central government, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, one of the three Druze spiritual leaders in Sweida, opposed the arrival of the security forces and called for "international protection".
Israel, which has attempted to portray itself as a protector of the Druze in Syria and sees them as potential allies, bombed several Syrian tanks on Monday.
The strikes were "a clear warning to the Syrian regime -- we will not allow harm to be done to the Druze in Syria", said Defence Minister Israel Katz, whose country has its own Druze population.
The fighting underscores the challenges facing interim leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, whose Islamist forces ousted president Bashar al-Assad in December after nearly 14 years of civil war.
Syria's pre-war Druze population was estimated at around 700,000, many of them concentrated in Sweida province.
The Druze, followers of an esoteric religion that split from Shiite Islam, are mainly found in Syria, Lebanon and Israel.
Following deadly clashes with government forces in April and May, local and religious leaders reached an agreement with Damascus under which Druze fighters had been providing security in the province.
"We lived in a state of extreme terror -- the shells were falling randomly," said Abu Taym, a 51-year-old father.
Amal, a 46-year-old woman, said: "We fear a repeat of the coastal scenario", referring to massacres in March of more than 1,700 mostly Alawite civilians in northwest Syria, where groups affiliated with the government were blamed for most of the killings.
"We are not against the state, but we are against surrendering our weapons without a state that treats everyone the same," she added.
In a post on X, Syrian Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra urged his troops to "protect your fellow citizens" from "outlaw gangs", and to "restore stability to Sweida".
The violence began on Sunday when Bedouin gunmen abducted a Druze vegetable vendor on the highway to Damascus, prompting retaliatory kidnappings.
The Observatory said members of Bedouin tribes, who are Sunni Muslims, had sided with security forces during earlier confrontations with the Druze.
Bedouin and Druze factions have a longstanding feud in Sweida, and violence occasionally erupts between the two sides. The fighting has killed around 100 people in the southern Syrian region AFP Israel, which says it is protecting the Druze, launched strikes on Syrian government forces AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Int'l Business Times
32 minutes ago
- Int'l Business Times
Europe Hopes For 'No Surprises' As US Weighs Force Withdrawals
After keeping Donald Trump happy with a pledge to up defence spending at NATO's summit, Europe is now bracing for a key decision from the US president on the future of American forces on the continent. Washington is currently conducting a review of its military deployments worldwide -- set to be unveiled in coming months -- and the expectation is it will lead to drawdowns in Europe. That prospect is fraying the nerves of US allies, especially as fears swirl that Russia could look to attack a NATO country within the next few years if the war in Ukraine dies down. However, the alliance is basking in Trump's newfound goodwill following its June summit in The Hague, and his officials are making encouraging noises that Europe will not be left in the lurch. "We've agreed to no surprises and no gaps in the strategic framework of Europe," said Matthew Whitaker, US ambassador to NATO, adding he expected the review to come out in "late summer, early fall". "I have daily conversations with our allies about the process," he said. While successive US governments have mulled scaling back in Europe to focus more on China, Trump has insisted more forcefully than his predecessors that the continent should handle its own defence. "There's every reason to expect a withdrawal from Europe," said Marta Mucznik from the International Crisis Group. "The question is not whether it's going to happen, but how fast." When Trump returned to office in January many felt he was about to blow a hole in the seven-decade-old alliance. But the vibe in NATO circles is now far more upbeat than those desperate days. "There's a sanguine mood, a lot of guesswork, but the early signals are quite positive," one senior European diplomat told AFP, talking as others on condition of anonymity. "Certainly no panic or doom and gloom." The Pentagon says there are nearly 85,000 US military personnel in Europe -- a number that has fluctuated between 75,000 and 105,000 since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. "I think it is inevitable that they pull out some of their forces," a second European diplomat told AFP. "But I don't expect this to be like a dramatic overhaul. I think it's going to be gradual. I think it's going to be based on consultations." Trump's first target is likely to be the troops left over from a surge ordered by his predecessor Joe Biden after Moscow's tanks rolled into Ukraine. Officials say relocating the rump of that 20,000-strong deployment would not hurt NATO's deterrence too much -- but alarm bells would ring if Trump looked to cut too deep into personnel numbers or close key bases. The issue is not just troop numbers -- the US has capabilities such as air defences, long-range missiles and satellite surveillance that allies would struggle to replace in the short-term. "The kinds of defence investments by Europe that are being made coming out of The Hague summit may only be felt in real capability terms over many years," said Ian Lesser from the German Marshall Fund think tank. "So the question of timing really does matter." Washington's desire to pull back from Europe may be tempered by Trump now taking a tougher line with Russia -- and Moscow's reluctance to bow to his demands to end the Ukraine war. "It seems an inopportune moment to send signals of weakness and reductions in the American security presence in Europe," Lesser said. He also pointed to Trump's struggles during his first term to pull troops out of Germany -- the potential bill for relocating them along with political resistance in Washington scuppering the plan. While European diplomats are feeling more confident than before about the troop review, they admit nothing can be certain with the mercurial US president. Other issues such as Washington's trade negotiations with the EU could rock transatlantic ties in the meantime and upend the good vibes. "It seems positive for now," said a third European diplomat. "But what if we are all wrong and a force decrease will start in 2026. To be honest, there isn't much to go on at this stage."
Int'l Business Times
3 hours ago
- Int'l Business Times
What Is The Status Of US Tariff Negotiations?
US tariff negotiations with key trading partners have shifted into high gear as economies race to avoid steeper duties before an August 1 deadline. Many of these tariff hikes were part of a package first announced in April, under which dozens of economies were due to face higher levies -- up from a 10 percent level -- over their trade surpluses with the United States. The twice-postponed deadline for duties to take effect is now Friday, August 1. But Washington has expanded its group of targets coming up against these tariffs, while announcing agreements with the European Union, Britain, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines. A deal with the European Union unveiled on Sunday sees a 15 percent tariff imposed on European exports to the United States, down from the 30 percent that Trump earlier threatened. Where do other US trade talks stand? Seoul is racing to reach a deal with Washington, as Tokyo's success in landing an agreement has "amped up the pressure for South Korea," a government source told AFP. Local media reported that Seoul was preparing to propose more than $100 billion in investment as part of a broader agreement, with expected participation by major firms such as Samsung and Hyundai Motor. The South Korean government did not confirm this. But South Korean officials have outlined proposals to deepen collaboration in sectors like shipbuilding, semiconductors and batteries. National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lak has told reporters that the two countries are in "the final and most crucial phase of negotiations" to avert Trump's proposed 25 percent duty. Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal told Bloomberg Television Thursday that he was optimistic his country could reach an agreement with the United States to avert Washington's 26 percent tariff threat. Goyal insisted there were not any sticking points in the US-India relationship or in trade talks, and clarified that immigration rules --- including those around H-1B visas for skilled workers -- had not come up in negotiations. Despite Goyal's remarks, local media reported the prospects of an interim deal before August 1 had dimmed. Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai said Thursday that officials are "working hard" on negotiations, amid worries that an unfavorable tariff level could hit the self-ruled island's economy. Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim said Taipei's negotiating team was "working almost 24 hours a day to achieve trade balance and Taiwan's industrial interests, and even to further deepen cooperation." Although Canada and Mexico were spared from Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs announced in April, goods from both countries entering the United States generally face a separate 25 percent duty if they fall outside a North American trade pact. This figure stands to jump to 30 percent for Mexico come August 1, while the level for Canada was set at 35 percent. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her administration was "doing everything" possible to avert the duties and that she would speak with Trump if necessary to try to reach a pact. Trump told reporters Friday there was no deal with Canada so far. Brazil is girding for a virtual trade embargo on its planes, grains and other goods if Trump's threatened 50 percent tariff on its exports takes effect on August 1. The United States runs a trade surplus with Latin America's biggest economy, which was not originally expected to face steeper tariffs under Trump's "reciprocal" duties plan. Trump has not attempted to hide the political motivation in targeting Brazil, citing a judicial "witch hunt" against his right-wing ally, former president Jair Bolsonaro, when he unveiled the tariff rate. The political nature of the spat makes a last-minute deal appear less likely.
DW
13 hours ago
- DW
Russia opens new direct flights to North Korea – DW – 07/27/2025
Monthly flights from Moscow to Pyongyang were set to begin on Sunday evening in a further sign of the deepening ties between Russia and North Korea. Meanwhile, Russia's Navy Day parade was canceled on "security grounds." The first direct passenger flight from Moscow to Pyongyang since the mid-1990s was set depart on Sunday evening in another sign of the deepening ties between Russia and North Korea. The eight-hour, 6,500-kilometer (4,040-mile) flight, operated by private Russian carrier Nordwind Airlines, was due to take off from Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport at 19:00 local time (18:00 CEST). The 440 places on the Boeing 777-200ER aircraft quickly sold out, Russian state media claimed, with tickets costing 44,700 rubles ($563, €479). However, the AFP news agency reported that nine tickets were still available on the airline's official website on Sunday morning. Russia's civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia has granted Nordwind Airlines permission to operate flights between the two capital cities twice a week, although the Russian transport ministry said that flights would operate only once a month to begin with in order to "help build stable demand." A return flight from Pyongyang to Moscow is scheduled for Tuesday, according to Russian state news agency TASS. Previously, the only direct air route between Russia and North Korea has been flights by North Korean carrier Air Koryo from Pyongyang to Vladivostok in Russia's Far East three times a week. A direct train connection between Moscow and Pyongyang was reopened on June 17 this year after being suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 10,000-kilometer (6,200-mile) journey takes eight days. Russia and North Korea have increased diplomatic, economic and military ties in the wake of Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Kyiv and its Western allies have accused North Korea of supplying Russia with artillery and ballistic missiles to strike Ukrainian cities, while Pyongyang has deployed more than 10,000 troops to help repulse a Ukrainian incursion into Russia's Kursk region. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Meanwhile, the Russian government said on Sunday that an annual navy parade in St. Petersburg was canceled for unspecified "security reasons." Authorities in the northwestern port city canceled the parade on Friday with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying on Sunday that "security comes first." President Vladimir Putin reintroduced Russia's "Navy Day" in 2017 after an almost four-decade absence. In a video message published on Sunday, he praised the "courage" and "heroism" of Russian marines involved in the war of aggression against Ukraine since February 2022. He said the military's most important aim was to "protect the sovereignty and the national interests of the fatherland" and that the navy plays an "important role" in this. The Russian Defense Ministry said on Sunday that around 100 Ukrainian drones had been intercepted over Russian territory, at least ten of which were close to St. Petersburg, which temporarily closed its airport. Further south, Ukrainian drone and missile attacks have effectively forced Russia's Black Sea fleet to abandon its bases in Crimea and retreat further east. The fleet's flagship, the was sunk by Ukrainian forces on April 14, 2022, becoming the largest Russian warship to be sunk since the Second World War.
