Latest news with #RamiAbdelRahman
L'Orient-Le Jour
17-07-2025
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Syria troops leave Sweida after deadly clashes
Syrian government forces have withdrawn from the whole of Sweida province after days of sectarian bloodshed in the heartland of the Druze minority, a war monitor and witnesses said Thursday. The pullout came after Islamist interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa said in a televised address that "responsibility" for security in Sweida would be handed to religious elders and some local factions, "based on the supreme national interest." "The Syrian authorities have withdrawn their military forces from the city of Sweida and the whole province, and Druze fighters have deployed" in their place, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. Government troops who had pulled out of the province told AFP that the order to withdraw came shortly before midnight (2100 GMT Wednesday) and they completed their pullout at dawn. "The city of Sweida seems devoid of any government forces presence," the editor in chief of the Suwayda 24 news website, Rayan Maarouf, told AFP. Government forces had deployed to the city on Tuesday with the stated aim of overseeing a truce, following days of deadly clashes between Druze fighters and Sunni Bedouin tribes. But witnesses said government forces had instead joined the Bedouin in attacking Druze fighters and civilians. Neighboring Israel responded with strikes on the Syrian military, including its headquarters in Damascus, which it warned would intensify until the Islamist-led government withdrew its forces from the south. Israel, which is home to around 150,000 Druze citizens, has repeatedly stated its intention to defend the Druze of Syria in bouts of sectarian violence that have broken out since the Islamist now in power in Damascus toppled longtime leader Bashar al-Assad in December. The Israeli military, which has taken control of the UN-monitored demilitarized zone on the Golan Heights and conducted hundreds of strikes on military targets in Syria, also says it will not allow any Syrian military presence on its border. Despite having initiated contact, Israel remains extremely wary of Syria's new rulers, including Sharaa whose Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham movement was once linked to Al-Qaeda.
L'Orient-Le Jour
17-07-2025
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Government forces withdraw from Druze-majority in Sweida
Syrian government forces have withdrawn from the entire Druze-majority province of Sweida in southern Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) and witnesses told AFP on Thursday. The withdrawal of government forces comes after a cease-fire agreement announced on Wednesday. Interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa announced overnight the transfer of "security responsibility to local factions" in Suwayda, the scene of communal clashes that have left more than 350 dead since Sunday. "The Syrian authorities have withdrawn their military forces from the city of Suwayda and the entire province, and Druze fighters have deployed," SOHR director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. Members of government forces told an AFP correspondent stationed on the outskirts of Suwayda province that they had received orders to withdraw shortly before midnight and had completed their pullout by dawn. "The city of Sweida appears empty of all government forces," Rayan Maarouf, editor-in-chief of the local website Suwayda 24, told AFP, adding that the situation was "catastrophic, and bodies litter the streets". Clashes between Sunni Bedouin tribes and Druze fighters, whose relations have been tense for decades, broke out Sunday. The Syrian government deployed forces to the region on Tuesday with the stated goal of restoring order. But SOHR, witnesses and Druze groups accused it of fighting the Druze factions. Israel, hostile to any Syrian military presence near its border and saying it wants to protect the Druze community, responded by bombing Damascus and other areas of the country. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce on Wednesday called on the Syrian government to leave the conflict zone in the south of the country to ease tensions with Israel.
New Straits Times
17-07-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Syria troops quit Druze heartland province after deadly clashes: monitor
SWEIDA, Syria: Syrian government forces have withdrawn from the whole of Sweida province after days of sectarian bloodshed in the heartland of the Druze minority, a war monitor and witnesses said Thursday. The pullout came after Islamist interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa said in a televised address that "responsibility" for security in Sweida would be handed to religious elders and some local factions "based on the supreme national interest." "The Syrian authorities have withdrawn their military forces from the city of Sweida and the the whole province, and Druze fighters have deployed" in their place, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. Government troops who had pulled out of the province told AFP that the order to withdraw came shortly before midnight (2100 GMT Wednesday) and they completed their pullout at dawn. "The city of Sweida seems devoid of any government forces presence," the editor in chief of the Suwayda 24 news website, Rayan Maarouf, told AFP. Government forces had deployed to the city on Tuesday with the stated aim of overseeing a truce, following days of deadly clashes between Druze fighters and Sunni Bedouin tribes. But witnesses said government forces had instead joined the Bedouin in attacking Druze fighters and civilians. Neighbouring Israel responded with strikes on the Syrian military, including its headquarters in Damascus, which it warned would intensify until the Islamist-led government withdrew its forces from the south. Israel, which is home to around 150,000 Druze citizens, has repeatedly stated its intention to defend the Druze of Syria in bouts of sectarian violence that have broken out since the Islamist now in power in Damascus toppled longtime leader Bashar al-Assad in December. The Israeli military, which has taken control of the UN-monitored demilitarised zone on the Golan Heights and conducted hundreds of strikes on military targets in Syria, also says it will not allow any Syrian military presence on its border. Despite having initiated contact, Israel remains extremely wary of Syria's new rulers, including Sharaa whose Hayat Tahrir al-Sham movement was once linked to Al-Qaeda. — AFP
News24
17-07-2025
- Politics
- News24
Syria troops quit Druze heartland province after deadly clashes
Syrian government forces have withdrawn from the whole of Sweida province after days of sectarian bloodshed in the heartland of the Druze minority. The pullout came after Islamist interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa's address. Government troops who had pulled out of the province said the order to withdraw came shortly before midnight on Wednesday and they completed their pullout at dawn. Syrian government forces have withdrawn from the whole of Sweida province after days of sectarian bloodshed in the heartland of the Druze minority, a war monitor and witnesses said Thursday. The pullout came after Islamist interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa said in a televised address that "responsibility" for security in Sweida would be handed to religious elders and some local factions "based on the supreme national interest". "The Syrian authorities have withdrawn their military forces from the city of Sweida and the the whole province, and Druze fighters have deployed" in their place, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. READ | Israel hits Lebanon, Syria as part of its campaign to 'strike every terrorist' Government troops who had pulled out of the province told AFP that the order to withdraw came shortly before midnight on Wednesday and they completed their pullout at dawn. "The city of Sweida seems devoid of any government forces presence," the editor in chief of the Suwayda 24 news website, Rayan Maarouf, told AFP. Government forces had deployed to the city on Tuesday with the stated aim of overseeing a truce, following days of deadly clashes between Druze fighters and Sunni Bedouin tribes. But witnesses said government forces had instead joined the Bedouin in attacking Druze fighters and civilians. Neighbouring Israel responded with strikes on the Syrian military, including its headquarters in Damascus, which it warned would intensify until the Islamist-led government withdrew its forces from the south. Israel, which is home to around 150 000 Druze citizens, has repeatedly stated its intention to defend the Druze of Syria in bouts of sectarian violence that have broken out since the Islamist now in power in Damascus toppled longtime leader Bashar al-Assad in December. The Israeli military, which has taken control of the UN-monitored demilitarised zone on the Golan Heights and conducted hundreds of strikes on military targets in Syria, also says it will not allow any Syrian military presence on its border. Despite having initiated contact, Israel remains extremely wary of Syria's new rulers, including Sharaa whose Hayat Tahrir al-Sham movement was once linked to Al-Qaeda.
Business Recorder
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Syria troops quit Druze heartland province after deadly clashes: monitor
SWEIDA: Syrian government forces have withdrawn from the whole of Sweida province after days of sectarian bloodshed in the heartland of the Druze minority, a war monitor and witnesses said Thursday. The pullout came after Islamist interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa said in a televised address that 'responsibility' for security in Sweida would be handed to religious elders and some local factions 'based on the supreme national interest'. 'The Syrian authorities have withdrawn their military forces from the city of Sweida and the the whole province, and Druze fighters have deployed' in their place, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. Government troops who had pulled out of the province told AFP that the order to withdraw came shortly before midnight (2100 GMT Wednesday) and they completed their pullout at dawn. 'The city of Sweida seems devoid of any government forces presence,' the editor in chief of the Suwayda 24 news website, Rayan Maarouf, told AFP. Government forces had deployed to the city on Tuesday with the stated aim of overseeing a truce, following days of deadly clashes between Druze fighters and Sunni Bedouin tribes. But witnesses said government forces had instead joined the Bedouin in attacking Druze fighters and civilians. Neighbouring Israel responded with strikes on the Syrian military, including its headquarters in Damascus, which it warned would intensify until the Islamist-led government withdrew its forces from the south. Israel, which is home to around 150,000 Druze citizens, has repeatedly stated its intention to defend the Druze of Syria in bouts of sectarian violence that have broken out since the Islamist now in power in Damascus toppled longtime leader Bashar al-Assad in December. Israel army says struck 'military target' in area of Syrian presidential palace The Israeli military, which has taken control of the UN-monitored demilitarised zone on the Golan Heights and conducted hundreds of strikes on military targets in Syria, also says it will not allow any Syrian military presence on its border. Despite having initiated contact, Israel remains extremely wary of Syria's new rulers, including Sharaa whose Hayat Tahrir al-Sham movement was once linked to Al-Qaeda.
