Clashes renewed in the city of Sweida just a few hours after Syrian defense minister announced a ceasefire

Clashes resumed on the streets of the southern Syrian city of Sweida on Wednesday morning, just hours after a ceasefire was declared between Syrian government forces and local Druze fighters.

The Syrian Ministry of Defense confirmed that “outlaw groups opened fire on security personnel, and forces responded to the sources of fire”.

According to locals, the city and several neighboring villages were subjected to heavy artillery and mortar shelling in the early hours of the Wednesday morning, amid escalating tensions in the province, which is witnessing one of the most complex confrontations in years.

On the same context, and in a significant development, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stern warning to the Syrian government, demanding that it withdraw its forces from Sweida.

“The Syrian regime must leave the Druze alone… We’ve previously made it clear that Israel won’t abandon the members of the Unitarian community, and we will implement the disarmament policy we have adopted,” Katz said in an official statement.

Katz added that the Israeli army will continue to target government forces if they do not withdraw, and that the level of responses will soon be raised if the warnings are not heeded.

On the ground, Syrian government forces have taken control of about 80% of the city of Sweida and its southern neighborhoods.

According to UK based, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, reported that death toll in Sweida since the outbreak of clashes last Sunday has risen to 248 people, including 64 Druze fighters and 28 civilians – 21 of whom were summarily executed by members of the Syrian Ministries of Defense and Interior.
Also 138 members of the Syrian army and security forces were killed, and 18 Bedouin militants.

In response to the clashed, the Syrian presidency issued urgent instructions to oversight bodies to hold accountable any official who committed violations during the events, regardless of their rank or position.

The Syrian presidency stressed the commitment of all military and civilian authorities not to commit any violations “under any pretext”.

For his part, the US Special Envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, expressed his concern about the escalating clashes, stressing that his country is working to calm the situation in coordination with all parties, including the Druze, Bedouins, the Syrian government, and Israeli forces.

Shocking videos documenting the aftermath of the massacres spread on social media, showing the bodies of civilians inside guest houses, amid scenes of the desecration of pictures of Druze sheikhs and the destruction of furniture and property.

On the other hand, the Israeli raids continue, which is considered as a warning of violating the balance.

Coinciding with the entry of Syrian forces into the city, Israel launched air strikes targeting Syrian army positions in the southwest of the country, especially around the city of Izra’a in Dara’a Governorate.

Israel asserted that these strikes were aimed at protecting the Druze and preventing Damascus from violating the demilitarization agreement near the border.