The Syrian presidency has announced the deployment of a new force to end the fatal clashes between Bedouin and Druze fighters in the southern part of the country.
The office of Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa is urging “all parties to exercise restraint” amidst reports of ongoing violence near the city of Suweida on Friday.
Nearly 600 people are reported to have been killed since the violence erupted on Sunday. Residents have accused government troops, who were sent to the area, of killing Druze civilians and carrying out extrajudicial executions.
Israel later targeted sites in Syria to force the troops to leave Suweida province. On Friday, the US ambassador to Turkey stated that Israel and Syria had agreed to a ceasefire.
In a post on X, ambassador Tom Barrack commented that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Sharaa “have agreed to a ceasefire” supported by Syria’s neighboring countries Turkey and Jordan.
“We urge Druze, Bedouins, and Sunnis to lay down their weapons and together with other minorities build a unified and peaceful Syrian identity in harmony with its neighbors,” the envoy stated.
Neither Israel nor Syria have publicly commented on the reported ceasefire agreement.
Before Sharaa’s office announced the military deployment to the south, an Israeli official stated that Israel had agreed to a 48-hour entry of Syrian Internal Security Forces personnel into Suweida to safeguard Druze civilians “due to ongoing instability”.
Suweida is predominantly inhabited by the Druze community, who follow a secretive, unique faith rooted in Shia Islam and are distrustful of the current jihadist-led government in Damascus.
The BBC’s correspondent in the Syrian capital reports that sectarian hatred of the Druze is now spreading nationwide.
The Druze constitute a minority in Syria, as well as in neighboring Lebanon and Israel.
Earlier this week, Volker Türk, the UN human rights chief, stated that his office received credible reports of widespread violations and abuses, including summary executions and arbitrary killings in Suweida.
Türk mentioned that the alleged perpetrators include members of the security forces and individuals affiliated with the interim government, in addition to local Druze and Bedouin armed groups.
“This violence and bloodshed must stop,” he warned, adding that “those responsible must be held accountable”.
The BBC has reached out to the Syrian government and security forces regarding the allegations of summary killings and other violations.
In an early televised address on Thursday, Sharaa vowed to hold the perpetrators accountable and pledged to make protecting the Druze a “priority”.
“We are eager to hold accountable those who transgressed and abused our Druze people because they are under the protection and responsibility of the state,” he declared.
He further blamed “outlaw groups”, stating that their leaders “rejected dialogue for many months”.