Illustrative image. (Syrian Arab News Agency)
Tribal forces loyal to Syria’s Islamist-led government stormed the Druze-majority city of al-Suwayda on July 19 morning, just hours after the United States said that it had brokered a ceasefire agreement in the southern government involving Israel which has been backing Druze fighters.
The forces entered the city from the western and northern directions. Activists in al-Suwayda reported that the forces were setting buildings on fire and capturing or killing any Druze civilian they encountered. Videos posted to social networks seemed to confirm these claims.
Meanwhile, government security forces were reportedly approaching the city. The forces entered the towns of Mazra’a and Walgha just a few kilometers to the north.
A spokesman for the Interior Ministry said that security forces will be deployed inside the city to de-conflict under the agreement brokered by the U.S. However, a statement by the spiritual leadership of Druze stated that the said forces should deploy only on the administrative border of the governorate.
As the battle was raging in al-Suwayda, Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa renewed his pledge to protect minorities.
“The Syrian state is committed to protecting all minorities and communities in the country… We condemn all crimes committed” in Sweida, Sharaa said in a televised speech, shortly after his office announced an “immediate ceasefire” in the southern province.
The pledge was dismissed by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar who said that it was “very dangerous” to be a minority in Syria.
“Bottom line: In al-Shara’s Syria, it is very dangerous to be a member of a minority — Kurd, Druze, Alawite or Christian,” the minister posted on X.
“This has been proven time and again over the past six months,” he says, adding the international community has “a duty to ensure the security and rights of the minorities in Syria and to condition Syria’s renewed acceptance into the family of nations on their protection.”
Israel backed the Druze when the conflict first broke out at the start of the week, but took a step back after the withdrawal of government forces from the governorate which provoked the intervention of the tribal forces. Some fighters of these forces are reported to be members of the Syrian military and security forces.
Druze fighters, led by the al-Suwayda Military Council, are still resisting and will not likely allow security forces to enter the city. An intervention by Israel is not guaranteed, however.
Before the ceasefire was announced by the U.S. late on July 18, Israel said it would grant Syrian government forces a brief window to enter al-Suwayda and end clashes there.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a London-based monitoring group, the battle in al-Suwayda has so far claimed the lives of at least 940 people, including 182 Druze civilians who were executed by government forces. The real death toll is likely much higher.
All in all, there is no real ceasefire in al-Suwayda. The government is clearly taking advantage of the agreement announced by the U.S. to occupy the entire governorate using the tribal forces as a proxy.
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that is the only victory of the west … enjoy.
they should make an example of everyone who took part in the armed rebellion against the state, the others should be evicted and exiled to the israeli occupied golan heights.
yeah tell that rebellion against jihadi state my ass bullshit to your sultan
ok. at the moment we can say that the west/zionists are on the attacking side: -houthis can’t be defeated but they aren’t making strong progress. -iran is internally analyzing the situation -in syria the wahabi government is in europe’s hand as you see european countries not criticizing it for its bloodsheds
-only hamas is not yet defeated, even though its leaders were killed.
the west is putting all its powers into this, as it knows that it’s the decisive battle.
don’t speak nonsense such tribal arabs and islamist forces are in the hands of the western this is the image portrayed by some alternative media outlets. the situation is way more complex.
why don’t you like what i wrote? how do you explain that the west doesn’t say a word of criticism against beduins or julani? do you remember what europeans said and did when assad’s troops allegedly “did” those atrocities? of course you do. lol.
those who launder illegal arms trade money know all the details. don’t expect the larry fink types to expose this international mafia organization . this vast network works very hard to make simple mafia control appear complex . openly exposing this network is the issue for the common family .
the real question here is who is funding and suppling these actions . but we easily guess the cia / mossad are following the lead of their zionist mafia war banker masters . the words ceasefire are only issued as media talking points to delude the masses .
“syrian government forces” = western/ zio head chopping throat slitting proxy vermin.
where is idf now ? very sad .. :(
sharaa is about to turn on his israeli masters.
we prefer sheep to our ugly obese female—this is normal in burgerland
so isil pig started behaeding the people now . druze did big mistake by not supporting assad and iran ressitance against this zionist terrorist jolani alqeda and isil and now they r getting killed and beheaded . israel played with everyone . do not trust us and siarel. druze has to join hands with lebonon and hezbollah to fight back this jolani and remove them
the sand apes are slaughtering each other…heheheh…so are the potato slav-apes double-heheheh…
the native americans had the same problems of inter tribal warfare they put blood fueds before unity and fighting anglo-american colonists which at times took advantage of such tensions.
the indians were too stupid, didn’t have know how to make firearms. they never stood a chance. same like them arab returded, goatficken, sandmonkeys don’t stand a chance against israel and it’s military prowess.
dang the weak muslim couldn’t even get the head off the body, could you animals at least harvest the organs and drain the plazma out the blood for the benifit of man you religious fanatics.