Syria, Israel agree to ceasefire amid Suweida violence
A ceasefire between Syria and Israel was announced by Tom Barrack, the United States Ambassador to Turkey.
This brings a fragile truce between the neighbors after days of airstrikes and sectarian violence in Syria's southwestern Suweida region, as reported by Al Jazeera.
In a post on X, Tom Barrack stated that the ceasefire between Syria and Israel was "supported" by Washington and "embraced" by Turkey, Jordan, and Syria's neighbors.
In his post announcing the ceasefire, Barrack urged "Druze, Bedouins, and Sunnis to lay down their arms and, alongside other minorities, build a new and united Syrian identity in peace and prosperity with its neighbors."
There have been no immediate comments from Syrian or Israeli officials.
An unnamed Israeli official told reporters on Friday that, in light of "ongoing instability in southwestern Syria," Israel agreed to allow "limited entry of [Syrian] internal security forces into the Suweida district for the next 48 hours."
On Wednesday, Israel launched massive airstrikes targeting Syria's Defense Ministry in the heart of Damascus and also struck Syrian government forces in the country's Suweida region.
Israel claims it launched the attacks to protect the Druze minority in Suweida, where clashes, sparked by ethnic tensions between armed Druze and Bedouin groups and government forces, have reportedly left hundreds dead.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the Druze—approximately one million in Syria (mostly concentrated in Suwayda) and 150,000 in Israel—as "brothers."
A ceasefire agreement, mediated by the US, Turkey, and Arab countries, was reached between Druze leaders and the Syrian government on Wednesday. However, Israel launched airstrikes on Syria that same day, killing at least three people and injuring 34 others.
Following the Israeli attacks, Syrian Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa stated in a televised speech that protecting the country's Druze citizens and their rights was a priority, and while Syria would prefer to avoid conflict with Israel, it does not fear war.
Al-Sharaa added that Syria would overcome Israel's attempts to divide the country through its aggression.
Heavy fighting re-erupted between Druze and Bedouin tribes in Suwayda on Friday.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
