CNN
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Syrian troops enter the country’s southern Druze minority bases on Tuesday and “pursuing outlaw groups,” the government said.
The clash broke out over the weekend between the Druze army and the Bedouin tribes of Sweida in the Southern City, killing 30 people and wounding dozens more. The violence prompted intervention by the Syrian government, losing 18 soldiers in the clash.
Having vowed to protect Syrian Druze, Israel launched a strike against the Syrian army moving forward towards Sweida.
Druze is a roughly 1 million Arabs living primarily in Syria, Lebanon and Israel. In southern Syria, where Deleuze forms a majority in Sweida, communities were sometimes caught up in between the Assad regime and the military of extremist groups during the country’s long conflict.
“Israel is committed to preventing harm to Syrian Druze due to its deep brotherhood alliance with Israeli Druze citizens and its family and historical ties with Syrian Druze,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.
Sweida sits in what Israel has unilaterally declared the demilitarized zone of southern Syria. The Israeli government has accused Syria of violating its demilitarization policy by moving military equipment to cities. The Syrian government rejected the declaration of Israel’s demilitarized zone and, together with the international community, repeatedly called on Israel to halt military operations that violate its sovereignty.
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz have instructed the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) to immediately attack the regime forces and weapons that have been taken to Syria’s Druze Mountains region for the purposes of the regime operation against Deleuze.
The IDF said Tuesday it attacked Syrian military vehicles and moved towards Sweida after identifying a convoy that includes armor officers and tanks.
Earlier on Tuesday, Druze spiritual leader Hikumat al-Hijiri called for international protection from “all countries” to “use all possible means” and “supporting wild campaigns.”
“We are facing a complete war of extinction,” Al Hijiri said in a video statement.
However, a statement issued by other Druze leaders welcomed the Syrian government’s intervention in Sweida and called on the state to assert its authority. It was also called for an armed group in the city to hand over the arms to government forces and seek dialogue with Damascus.
Hours after the military entered the city on Tuesday, Syrian Defense Minister Muhaf Abu Kusla declared a “ceasefire” following an agreement with an unidentified community leader, saying military police are deploying “regulating military action and exempt violators from liability.”
After overthrowing longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad last year, new president Ahmed al-Sharaa pledged and made a pledge to protect all of Syrian diverse communities, but his leader-loyal strength has sought fiercely against the fierce and religious minority. In March, hundreds of people were killed in a western Latakia city during crackdown on the Alawian denomination to which Assad belonged, raising fears among minority groups.
