Latest news with #Syrian
Middle East Eye
25 minutes ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Syrian Druze leaders urge fighters to 'resist' incoming government troops
Druze leaders have urged local fighters in Sweida to resist incoming Syrian government forces as violence continues to escalate in the southern governorate. Syria's state news agency said Israel had also launched air strikes on Sweida, which has witnessed days of fighting between Druze armed groups and Bedouin fighters. The clashes erupted after a Druze merchant was reportedly abducted on a highway to Damascus. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor, at least 99 people have been killed across the governorate. A curfew was set to be imposed in Sweida to stem the violence, while Syrian military columns could be seen heading into the governorate on Tuesday. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The Syrian Ministry of Defence said they had entered the city, and called on people to 'stay home and report any movements of outlaw groups'. Earlier on Tuesday, the spiritual leaders of the Druze community said in a written statement that it would allow Syrian forces to enter Sweida city to stop the violence. The statement called for armed groups to surrender their weapons and cooperate with incoming troops. But just hours later, Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri released a video statement in which he said the initial statement had been "imposed" on them and accused the government of bombarding the city with artillery. "We are being subject to a total war of extermination," he said. He called on locals "to confront this barbaric campaign with all means available". Al-Arabiya later reported that government forces had begun withdrawing their heavy vehicles from Sweida. Post-war violence Syria has seen a range of sectarian violence across the country in the wake of the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad in December after 14 years of war. The worst violence has been seen in the western governorate of Latakia, where more than a thousand members of the Alawite minority were killed after clashes broke out between government-aligned forces and armed groups sympathetic to Assad. Syria: Dozens killed in clashes between Druze militias and Bedouin groups Read More » However, the Druze community in Sweida have also become increasingly concerned about the potential for violence under the new government, which is led by former members of an al-Qaeda-linked group that once carried out sectarian killings of Druze villagers. The SOHR said the dead since Sunday has included 60 Druze - including four civilians - 18 Bedouin fighters, 14 security personnel and seven unidentified people in military uniforms. The Syrian Ministry of Defence also reported 18 deaths amongst the armed forces. On Monday, Israel's military said it had carried out several strikes on tanks approaching Sweida "to prevent their arrival to the area," claiming they could pose a threat to Israel. Further air strikes were reported on Tuesday. While citing its own security concerns, Israel has also justified its attacks on southern Syria by saying it has a duty to protect minority groups.
USA Today
30 minutes ago
- Politics
- USA Today
Israel strikes Syrian city, vows to protect Druze minority from government forces
SWEIDA, July 15 (Reuters) - Israel carried out strikes against Syrian government forces in the Sweida region of southern Syria on Tuesday, saying it was acting to protect the Druze minority and vowing to ensure the area near the Israeli border remained demilitarized. A Reuters reporter heard at least four strikes as drones could be heard overhead and saw a damaged tank being towed away from the city, where bursts of gunfire were heard as violence entered a third day. The upsurge in violence in the predominantly Druze city marks the latest challenge for interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in a corner of Syria where Israel has vowed to protect the Druze minority. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the military "to immediately strike regime forces and weaponry that were brought into the Sweida region … for the regime's operations against the Druze," they said in a statement. More: Israeli missile hits children in Gaza collecting water "Israel is committed to preventing harm to the Druze in Syria due to the deep brotherhood alliance with our Druze citizens in Israel," they said. "We are acting to prevent the Syrian regime from harming them and to ensure the demilitarization of the area adjacent to our border with Syria. Earlier on Tuesday an influential Druze leader, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri, issued a statement accusing Syrian government forces of breaching a ceasefire and bombarding the city and called on fighters to confront government troops. Syrian Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra later issued a statement declaring that a complete ceasefire was in place, and saying government forces would only open fire if fired upon. (Reporting by Karam Masri in Sweida, Khalil Ashawi in Damascus and Maya Gebeily in Beirut; Writing by Maya Gebeily and Tom Perry; Editing by Gareth Jones)
The Sun
an hour ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Syrian forces enter Druze city after deadly clashes in Sweida
SWEIDA: Syrian government forces have entered the majority Druze city of Sweida following deadly clashes between local factions and Bedouin tribes that left nearly 100 people dead. The interior ministry confirmed the deployment, stating that troops were sent to restore order after days of escalating violence. The southern city, previously under the control of armed Druze factions, saw religious leaders approve the government intervention, urging fighters to surrender their weapons. A curfew has been imposed in an effort to curb further bloodshed. Military columns advanced toward Sweida on Tuesday morning, with heavy artillery positioned nearby. The defence ministry later announced their entry into the city, calling on residents to remain indoors and report any suspicious movements. An AFP correspondent reported hearing explosions and gunfire as troops moved in. Clashes erupted over the weekend after Bedouin gunmen abducted a Druze vegetable vendor on the highway to Damascus, triggering retaliatory kidnappings. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented 99 fatalities since Sunday, including 60 Druze, 18 Bedouin fighters, 14 security personnel, and seven unidentified individuals in military uniforms. Druze religious authorities initially called for a ceasefire and expressed no opposition to the central government. However, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, one of Sweida's spiritual leaders, resisted the security forces' arrival, demanding international protection instead. Israel, which has positioned itself as a protector of Syria's Druze community, conducted airstrikes on Syrian tanks on Monday. Defence Minister Israel Katz stated the attacks served as a warning against harming the Druze population. The conflict highlights ongoing instability under interim leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, who took power after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad. The Druze, followers of an offshoot of Shiite Islam, are concentrated in Sweida province, where tensions with Bedouin tribes have flared periodically. Residents described living in fear as shelling intensified. 'We lived in a state of extreme terror—the shells were falling randomly,' said Abu Taym, a 51-year-old father. Others, like Amal, a 46-year-old woman, feared a repeat of past massacres. 'We are not against the state, but we are against surrendering our weapons without a state that treats everyone the same,' she added. Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra urged troops to 'protect your fellow citizens' and restore stability. The violence underscores deep-seated divisions in a region still grappling with the aftermath of Syria's civil war. - AFP
Jordan News
an hour ago
- Jordan News
Eastern Military Zone Foils Drug Smuggling Attempt - Jordan News
The Eastern Military Zone successfully thwarted an infiltration and smuggling attempt early Tuesday within its area of responsibility, intercepting a large quantity of narcotics coming from Syrian territory into Jordan. اضافة اعلان A military source from the General Command of the Jordanian Armed Forces – Arab Army stated: 'Border Guard forces in the Eastern Military Zone, in coordination with military security agencies and the Anti-Narcotics Department, managed to foil an infiltration and smuggling attempt involving a large quantity of drugs.' The source explained that a group of smugglers was detected attempting to illegally cross the border. Rapid reaction patrols were deployed and engagement protocols were applied, forcing the smugglers to retreat back into Syrian territory. Upon intensifying search and inspection operations, large quantities of narcotics were seized and transferred to the relevant authorities for further processing. The source reaffirmed that the Jordanian Armed Forces are working with full strength and determination to prevent all forms of infiltration and smuggling in order to safeguard the security and stability of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
Western Telegraph
an hour ago
- Politics
- Western Telegraph
Ceasefire announced after dozens killed in Syrian sectarian clashes
The announcement came a day after sectarian clashes that killed dozens, and after a state-run news agency report that Israel had launched a strike in the area. Defence minister Murhaf Abu Qasra said in a statement that after an 'agreement with the city's notables and dignitaries, we will respond only to the sources of fire and deal with any targeting by outlaw groups'. The clashes began with a series of tit-for-tat kidnappings and attacks between members of local Sunni Bedouin tribes and Druze armed factions in the southern province, a centre of the Druze community. Clashes erupted between Sunni Bedouin clans and Druze militias (Ghaith Alsayed/AP) Government security forces that were sent in on Monday to restore order also clashed with Druze armed groups. During the day, Israel struck a Syrian government military tank and said it was acting to protect the Druze religious minority. In Israel, the Druze are seen as a loyal minority and often serve in the armed forces. State-run news agency SANA did not give any details about Tuesday's strike. However, the Britain-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Israel struck a tank belonging to the Syrian military as forces began to move in deeper into Sweida city. Earlier on Tuesday, religious leaders of the Druze community in Syria called for armed factions that have been clashing with government forces to surrender their weapons and cooperate with authorities as they entered the provincial capital of Sweida. One of the main religious authorities later released a video statement retracting the call. The initial statement called for armed factions in Sweida to 'cooperate with the forces of the Ministry of Interior, not to resist their entry, and to hand over their weapons to the Ministry of Interior'. The statement also called for 'opening a dialogue with the Syrian government to address the repercussions of the events.' The commander of Internal Security in Sweida Governorate, Brigadier General Ahmad al-Dalati, welcomed the statement and called for 'all religious authorities and social activists to adopt a unified national stance that supports the Ministry of Interior's measures to extend state authority and achieve security throughout the province'. Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri, a Druze spiritual leader who has been opposed to the government in Damascus, said in a video message that the previous statement by Druze leaders had been issued after an agreement with the authorities in Damascus but 'they broke the promise and continued the indiscriminate shelling of unarmed civilians'. 'We are being subjected to a total war of annihilation,' he said. Some videos on social media had showed armed fighters with Druze captives, inciting sectarian slogans and beating them. The Druze religious sect is a minority group that began as a 10th-century offshoot of Ismailism, a branch of Shiite Islam. More than half the roughly one million Druze worldwide live in Syria. Most of the other Druze live in Lebanon and Israel, including in the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Middle East War and annexed in 1981. Clashes have on several occasions broken out between forces loyal to the government and Druze fighters since the fall of President Bashar Assad in early December in a lightning rebel offensive led by Sunni Islamist insurgent groups.
