Parapolitika.gr

Syria ceasefire reached between regime and Druze forces as Israel strikes Damascus

Syria achieves first ceasefire between regime and Druze forces after Israel strikes Damascus government buildings, killing 3 and wounding 34 in escalating Middle East tensions.

Syria ceasefire reached between regime and Druze forces as Israel strikes Damascus
World
newsroom

A ceasefire has been agreed between the al-Saraa regime forces and the Druze, after Israel escalated attacks against Syria, with strikes targeting the Defense Ministry and presidential palace. While Israel claims its goal is to protect the Druze minority from attacks by the Syrian regime, following deadly hostilities between Druze and Bedouins, the official Syrian news agency announced that a ceasefire was achieved in the city of Suwayda. Earlier, Israeli airstrikes targeted Syria’s Defense Ministry headquarters in Damascus, amid renewed conflicts in the country. The Syrian Health Ministry announced that Israeli strikes in Damascus, which today targeted the General Staff of Syrian armed forces, have killed three people and wounded 34 others, while reports indicate three senior Syrian commanders were also killed.

The intense strikes destroyed one wing of the four-story building next to the Defense Ministry, as journalists from the French Press Agency observed. The famous Umayyad Square, which dominates the complex and is usually crowded, was empty, with only ambulances and military vehicles present.

Syria: ceasefire between government and Druze forces

Regime forces will deploy checkpoints in the southern Syria region. One of the Druze leaders in Syria, Sheikh Youssef Jarbou, announced the ceasefire terms in a video published by Arab media outlets.



According to his statement, regional roads will be secured by state forces, government institutions in Suwayda will resume operations, a joint committee of Druze and regime representatives will be established to investigate “crimes and legal violations” committed during the events in the area, and all prisoners arrested during the unrest will be released.


The tragic toll after the strikes

Meanwhile, the death toll from clashes in Suwayda, a city with a majority Druze population in southern Syria, exceeded 300 according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, whose previous count reported 248 deaths.



The Observatory reports that since clashes erupted on Sunday, 69 Druze community fighters and 40 civilians have been killed, including 27 in “summary executions… by members of the Defense and Interior ministries.” Additionally, 165 government forces members and 18 Bedouin fighters have lost their lives, along with 10 government security service members in Israeli airstrikes.



There are also reports of attacks by Islamist groups against religious minorities and others in the region. An incident was also reported in the village of Al-Sura in southern Syria, where according to local sources, the Greek Catholic Melkite Church of Saint Michael was attacked by unknown assailants.



The full extent of damage has not yet been confirmed, as access to the area is currently impossible due to ongoing tensions. However, images circulating on social media confirm the attack.

US calls for de-escalation, EU expresses concern

The US and Europe rushed to issue calls for de-escalation, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressing concern while emphasizing that the US wants the fighting to stop and confirming that American talks are already underway with both sides.

The European Union, for its part, expressed concern about the clashes in Syria and called on all parties to protect civilians indiscriminately. In a statement, the EU also called for respect for Syria’s sovereignty, in response to the multiplication of Israeli strikes on Syrian territory. Meanwhile, the US ambassador to Turkey, who is also a special US envoy for Syria, today called for a step back and negotiations to achieve a ceasefire in the Syrian city of Suwayda and condemned violence against civilians.

“We unequivocally condemn the violence against civilians in Suwayda. All parties must step back and engage in meaningful dialogue leading to a permanent ceasefire. Perpetrators must be held accountable,” Tom Barak wrote in a post on X, using an alternative spelling for the city where clashes erupted between Syrian government soldiers and local Druze fighters hours after achieving a ceasefire agreement.

According to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, the Israeli airstrikes in Damascus that targeted the General Staff of Syrian armed forces and areas around it aim to undermine Syria’s efforts to establish peace and security.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry also stated that Syria has a historic opportunity to live in peace and integrate into the international community after overthrowing Bashar al-Assad in December.

Who are the Druze

The Druze are an Arab minority of approximately one million people, living mainly in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel. In southern Syria, where the Druze constitute the majority in the Suwayda region, they have periodically fallen victim to forces of the former Assad regime and extremist groups during the decade-long Syrian civil war.

This minority originated from Egypt in the eleventh century and follows a branch of Islam that does not allow conversions and mixed marriages.

In Syria, the Druze are concentrated in three main regions near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights in the country’s southern part.

More than 20,000 Druze live in the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau that Israel captured from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War and officially annexed in 1981.

The Golan Druze share this territory with about 25,000 Jewish settlers, scattered across more than 30 settlements.

Most Druze living in the Golan identify as Syrians and refused the offer of Israeli citizenship when Israel occupied the territory. Those who refused were granted Israeli residence cards but are not considered Israeli citizens.

Why Syrian forces are clashing with the Druze

After the overthrow of dictator Bashar al-Assad, the new Syrian president, Ahmad al-Saraa, committed to inclusion and protection of all Syrian communities. However, extremist Sunni forces loyal to him continued their violent confrontation with religious minorities.

In March, hundreds of people were killed during a crackdown on Alawites – Assad’s sect – in the western city of Lattakia. In April, clashes between pro-government forces and Druze militias left at least 100 dead.

A key issue exacerbating relations between the new Syrian government and the Druze is the disarmament and integration of Druze militias. Sharaa, who seeks to unify armed factions under a single army, has failed to reach agreements with the Druze, who insist on maintaining their weapons and independent militias.

The Druze, some of whom opposed Bashar al-Assad’s authoritarian rule, remain skeptical of Sharaa, an Islamist leader with a jihadist background. They have expressed concern about the exclusion of some of their leaders from national dialogue processes and their limited representation in the new government, which includes only one Druze minister.

Hours after troops entered the city on Tuesday, Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra announced a “ceasefire” following an agreement with unnamed local leaders.

Why Israel intervened

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated Tuesday that Israel is committed to protecting the Druze in Syria, thanks to the deep fraternal alliance with our Druze citizens in Israel and the family and historical ties between the two peoples.

About 130,000 Israeli Druze live in Carmel and Galilee in northern Israel. Unlike other minorities within Israel’s borders, Druze men over 18 have served in the Israeli army since 1957, often rising to senior positions, while many pursue careers in police and security forces.

Related Posts