Latest news with #Druze community
CBC
a day ago
- Politics
- CBC
Canadian Druze community asks for humanitarian corridor into Jordan amid violence in Syria
More than 100 demonstrators from Canada's Druze community gathered on Parliament Hill on Friday afternoon, asking for the government to intervene in an unfolding humanitarian crisis in Syria where hundreds have already been killed. The Druze are a religious sect began as a 10th-century offshoot of Ismailism, a branch of Shia Islam. They make up about three per cent of Syria's population, with more than half of the approximately one million Druze worldwide living in Syria. Over the last week, Syria's government stepped into fighting in the Suwayda administrative region in the southern part of the country, between local Bedouin fighters and militias linked to the Druze. Syria's intervention caused further bloodshed, and a fragile ceasefire declared just on Wednesday was reportedly broken again by Friday morning, according to Al Jazeera. "There's a clear intention to destroy the group of Druze in Syria," said Fahd Abou Zainedin, an organizer of Friday's demonstration on Parliament Hill. Some demonstrators held signs calling the killings a genocide. "We would like to call and ask for the Canadian government, and all democracies all over the world, to open the humanitarian corridor immediately, to save the lives of innocent children that are being killed," he said. With Suwayda only about an hour away from Syria's border with Jordan, the demonstrators believe Canada can use its diplomatic heft to pressure both governments into allowing safe passage for the Druze, as well as providing humanitarian aid to the population. Syria denies involvement in massacres Syria's new government, which came into power after toppling President Bashar al-Assad's regime last December, has denied having any hand in the killings of civilians, saying its armed forces intervened only due to clashes between militias. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said protecting Druze and their rights was a priority for his government, and vowed to hold to account those who committed violations against "our Druze people." Al-Sharaa also spoke out against Israel's involvement in the fighting. Israel has repeatedly conducted airstrikes into Syria this year, with some hitting Syria's Defence Ministry in the capital of Damascus just on Wednesday. Israel has said it would protect Druze from any attacks, not allowing military forces to descend on them. Since the new government's takeover of Syria, Israel has moved troops into the country. Video circulating on social media has shown government forces and allies humiliating Druze clerics and residents, looting homes and killing civilians inside their own homes. The United Kingdom-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an NGO, said it counted 374 people killed since clashes erupted. It cited "field executions and violations committed by Defence Ministry forces against civilians and local Druze fighters." Yara Harb, a volunteer organizer at Ottawa's protest, said "there's been dehumanization, there's been humiliation, there have been aggressions against dignity and the Druze identity," she said. Harb said it is very hard to establish contact with loved ones in the area due the internet and power being shut off. She said her grandparents, who live there, told her their house was ransacked by a group of 40 men, and the last update she heard from them was that they had left their home behind to seek refuge elsewhere. Harb said their neighbour's son was shot. "They couldn't get him to safety at all. So he ended up dying after 24 hours with the only intervention being prayers from my 85-year-old grandma," she said. Bassma Al Atrache came to the protest from Montreal. She said she has been unable to contact her mother, who is in Suwayda, for four days. "The last time I spoke to her, she was very traumatized, she was hearing airstrikes everywhere," Al Atrache said, adding her mother is a Canadian citizen. Tentative new relationship with Canada Global Affairs Canada has yet to respond to a series of questions about this story. The Canadian government is tentatively renewing a relationship with Syria, where it closed its embassy in 2012. In mid-March, Canada named Stefanie McCollum, its ambassador to Lebanon, to serve concurrently as a non-resident ambassador to Syria. In February, then prime minister Justin Trudeau named former cabinet minister Omar Alghabra as special envoy for Syria.
LBCI
2 days ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Israeli involvement in Syria: Israel expands military presence in southern Syria under guise of Druze aid
Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar has approved a $600,000 budget to support the Druze community in Syria's Sweida province, a move widely seen as deepening Tel Aviv's involvement in the Syrian conflict under the pretext of humanitarian assistance, including food, medicine, and first aid. Simultaneously, Israel has ramped up its military posture along the Syrian front. The Israeli army reinforced its ground forces with internal security units, and its air force deployed dozens of surveillance drones operating around the clock, particularly over Jabal al-Druze, Mount Hermon, and the buffer security zone in southern Syria. The military buildup has been justified as a protective measure for the Druze population, aimed at deterring Syrian regime forces from advancing toward them. On the political front, Israeli Security Minister Israel Katz, speaking from Washington, firmly rejected any withdrawal from areas occupied by Israeli forces in southern Syria, namely Mount Hermon and the buffer zone. During a meeting with U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, Katz dismissed recent efforts to reach a security agreement with Damascus, stating that Israel no longer trusts Ahmed al-Sharaa or the Syrian regime. Several military and political figures welcomed the Security Minister's statements, though others argued that Israel's interests are better served through dialogue and security arrangements. Amid concerns over potential military escalation if Syrian regime forces attempt to return to what Israel considers red-line areas, the Israeli military confirmed it had returned hundreds of Israeli Druze who had crossed into Syria, and pushed Syrian Druze back beyond the ceasefire line. Troop reinforcements were deployed not only to contain what Israel described as chaos on both sides of the border, but also to block the potential infiltration of hostile fighters. The underlying goal is the establishment of a wide buffer zone inside Syrian territory—an Israeli-controlled strip that would serve as a shield against any future attacks.
LBCI
2 days ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Lebanese PM praises Sheikh Sami Abi Al-Muna for promoting calm and national unity
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam held a phone call with Sheikh Akl of the Druze community, Sheikh Sami Abi Al-Muna, during which he praised the responsible and measured role played by spiritual leaders, among them Sheikh Abi Al-Muna, in defusing tensions, preventing strife, and preserving civil peace. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of preserving Syria's unity and rejected any attempts to sow division among its people. They also stressed that developments outside Lebanon's borders should not become a source of internal discord. Prime Minister Salam concluded by expressing deep appreciation for Sheikh Abi Al-Muna's ongoing commitment to Lebanese unity under the framework of the state.
Al Arabiya
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Israel denies reports of overnight strikes in Syria's Sweida
Israel on Friday denied reports on the Syrian state news agency that it had conducted further air strikes near the Druze-majority city of Sweida late the previous day. 'The (Israeli military) is not aware of overnight strikes in Syria,' a spokesperson told AFP. Israel bombed the Syrian army in Sweida and Damascus earlier this week to pressure the extremist-led government to withdraw its troops from the Druze heartland around Sweida following deadly sectarian clashes. Syrian troops pulled out on Thursday. Israel also announced on Friday that it is sending humanitarian aid to Sweida following days of deadly sectarian clashes in the Syrian province. 'Against the backdrop of recent attacks targeting the Druze community in Sweida and the severe humanitarian situation in the area, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has ordered the urgent transfer of humanitarian aid to the Druze population in the region,' the foreign ministry said in a statement. The aid package will amount to 2 million shekels (nearly $600,000) and will include food parcels and medical supplies, the ministry added.
CNA
3 days ago
- Politics
- CNA
Israel strikes Syria army HQ after warning Damascus to leave Druze alone
Scroll up for the next video X Israel strikes Syria army HQ after warning Damascus to leave Druze alone
