Syria Declares Ceasefire After Deadly Druze Clashes \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Syria’s defense minister announced a ceasefire after violent sectarian clashes in Sweida. Government forces and Druze militias battled as Israeli airstrikes targeted Syrian convoys. Dozens were killed, and international concern is growing amid regional instability.
Quick Looks
- Ceasefire follows deadly fighting in Sweida province; over 160 killed, reports say.
- Syrian government clashed with Druze militias and Bedouin factions.
- Israeli airstrikes hit Syrian convoys, citing protection of Druze communities.
- Syrian official confirms ongoing clashes and alleged abuses by security forces.
- U.K.-based monitor reports field executions and looting by soldiers.
- Syrian interim president vows legal action against rights violators.
- Protests erupt in Lebanon, northern Israel, and the Golan Heights.
- Israeli leaders condemn Syria’s new Islamist-led government and urge action.
- Sectarian tensions follow ousting of former President Assad in December.
- U.S. calls for inclusive, peaceful resolution involving all sides.
Deep Look
A fragile ceasefire was declared Tuesday in southern Syria after days of deadly sectarian violence left dozens dead and drew international concern, with Israeli airstrikes and accusations of war crimes further inflaming the crisis.
The latest round of bloodshed erupted in Sweida province, home to Syria’s largest Druze community, following clashes between Sunni Bedouin tribes and armed Druze factions. Tensions escalated into full-scale conflict after Syrian government forces intervened, reportedly targeting both civilians and militia fighters.
Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra announced that an agreement had been reached with “city notables and dignitaries,” declaring that forces would now respond only to attacks and avoid indiscriminate retaliation. However, sporadic violence continued throughout the day, with activists and observers reporting ongoing abuses by state forces.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported at least 166 deaths since Sunday, including five women, two children, and 21 individuals allegedly executed by government forces, some of whom were found in a rest house in Sweida. The group also accused security forces of looting and arson targeting Druze homes.
The violence prompted interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa to issue a statement promising legal accountability. “Anyone proven to have committed violations—regardless of rank—will face consequences,” he said.
Still, public distrust remains high. AP reporters in Sweida documented government checkpoints confiscating stolen goods from both civilians and soldiers, raising questions about discipline within the ranks and the government’s ability to restore order.
Israel Strikes Syrian Forces, Cites Druze Protection
The conflict took on a regional dimension as Israel launched airstrikes on Syrian military targets moving toward Sweida, claiming it was acting to protect Druze civilians near the border. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said the attacks were intended to prevent Syrian aggression near Israel’s frontier and protect a religious minority seen as loyal to the Israeli state.
Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli took a harder line, posting on X that Syrian interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa should be “eliminated without delay.”
At a local hospital, Syrian Interior Ministry soldier Manhal Yasser Al-Gor, wounded by an Israeli drone strike, told reporters he was entering Sweida “to protect civilians and stop looting” when his convoy was hit. He described “many casualties” among Syrian forces.
Syria’s Foreign Ministry called the Israeli strikes “an act of foreign aggression and interference,” claiming several civilians were killed alongside government troops. Officials insisted that the Druze people are an integral part of Syria’s national fabric and would be protected under the law.
New Government, Old Suspicion
Since former President Bashar Assad was overthrown in December by Sunni Islamist insurgents led by al-Sharaa, Syria has been in political transition. Israel has taken a hostile posture toward the new leadership, saying it does not want militant groups or radical Islamist factions establishing influence near its borders.
In recent months, Israel has launched hundreds of airstrikes targeting military infrastructure across Syria and has now occupied a U.N.-monitored buffer zone near the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau Israel captured in 1967 and annexed in 1981.
The growing regional involvement and internal fragmentation are raising fears of a broader sectarian civil war.
Druze Leaders Reverse Support for Ceasefire
Earlier Tuesday, Druze religious authorities had urged militias to lay down arms and cooperate with the Syrian government. But within hours, Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri, a prominent Druze cleric critical of Damascus, retracted that call in a video statement.
Al-Hijri accused the Syrian military of breaking the agreement and continuing indiscriminate shelling of unarmed civilians, claiming, “We are being subjected to a total war of annihilation.” He offered no evidence but said the government had lost the community’s trust.
Videos circulating on social media showed Druze captives being beaten and having their mustaches forcibly shaved—a symbolic act of humiliation. It remains unclear whether these incidents involved government forces or rival militias.
Sectarian History and Regional Fallout
The Druze are a religious minority who emerged in the 10th century from Ismaili Shiism. Roughly half of the global Druze population—about 1 million—resides in Syria, with significant communities in Lebanon, Israel, and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
The fall of Assad’s Alawite-dominated government has reopened sectarian fault lines, with Druze groups fearing marginalization under the Sunni-led interim regime. The recent fighting echoes earlier sectarian violence in March, when Assad loyalists ambushed Syrian forces, sparking revenge attacks that killed hundreds, mostly Alawites.
The current violence has already spilled across borders. Druze communities in Lebanon, northern Israel, and the Golan Heights have organized protests. In some cases, demonstrators crossed into Syrian territory, prompting a response from Israeli forces.
Global Reaction and U.S. Position
International leaders have voiced growing concern. U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack posted a statement describing the situation as “worrisome on all sides,” calling for a peaceful and inclusive resolution.
“We are working toward a diplomatic outcome that protects Druze civilians, respects Syria’s sovereignty, and addresses concerns from Israeli and Bedouin stakeholders,” Barrack said.
The coming days will test the durability of the ceasefire and whether Syria’s new government can stabilize the country while navigating both internal divisions and external military pressure.
Syria Declares Ceasefire Syria Declares Ceasefire
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