Deadly clashes threaten Syria’s fragile peace
Syrian troops quell sectarian violence in fragile peace
- Deadly clashes erupted in the Druze-majority city of Sweida in southern Syria between Druze and Sunni Bedouin clans, resulting in dozens killed and thousands displaced.
- The fighting, which began after an armed robbery, marked the first time sectarian violence had occurred within Sweida city itself.
- Syrian government forces intervened, entering Sweida to impose a curfew and quell the fighting, a significant move as it was their first entry into the city since the fall of Assad.
- Israel subsequently launched air attacks on Sweida, citing a pledge to protect the Druze minority and reinforcing its demand for a demilitarised zone near its border.
- A ceasefire was announced, but the violence highlights the transitional government's struggle to maintain control and the ongoing distrust among religious minorities, despite promises of inclusion.