Syrian president pledges to safeguard Druze population

(MENAFN) Syria’s interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa has vowed to protect the country’s Druze population following deadly sectarian clashes in Suweida province and Israeli airstrikes on Damascus.

In his first televised address since the strikes, al-Sharaa stated that safeguarding the Druze minority was a “priority” and warned that Syrians were not afraid of further conflict.

The violence in Suweida began on Sunday, with over 350 people reported killed in clashes between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes. The Syrian military, which had not been present in the area since al-Sharaa's Sunni Islamist group ousted Bashar al-Assad last December, deployed forces in response.

However, residents and activists accused government troops of killing Druze civilians and committing extrajudicial executions, prompting a harsh warning from Israel. In retaliation, Israel launched airstrikes, accusing the Syrian government of targeting Druze communities.

Syrian state media later reported that a ceasefire deal had been reached and troops were withdrawing from Suweida, though it remains unclear whether the truce will hold.

MENAFN17072025000045017281ID1109813900