Syrian Govt Urges All Sides To Respect Truce In Druze Area

Syria's Islamist-led government said its internal security forces began deploying in the predominantly Druze southern city of Sweida on July 19, and urged all parties to respect a ceasefire after days of factional bloodshed that had left hundreds dead.

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BEIRUT/JERUSALEM - Syria's Islamist-led government said its internal security forces began deploying in the predominantly Druze southern city of Sweida on July 19, and urged all parties to respect a ceasefire after days of factional bloodshed that had left hundreds dead.

Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa said that "Arab and American" mediation had helped bring calm, and criticised Israel for air strikes against Syrian government forces in the south and Damascus during the week.

Mr Sharaa called for calm and said Syria would not be a "testing ground for partition, secession, or sectarian incitement".

"The Israeli intervention pushed the country into a dangerous phase that threatened its stability," he said in a televised speech.

Israel and Syria have agreed to a ceasefire, the US envoy to Turkey said on July 18, after days of bloodshed in the predominantly Druze area that have killed more than 300 people.

On July 16, Israel launched air strikes in Damascus and hit government forces in the south, demanding they withdraw and saying that Israel aimed to protect Syrian Druze - part of a small but influential minority that also has members in Lebanon and Israel.

"We call upon Druze, Bedouins and Sunnis to put down their weapons and together with other minorities build a new and united Syrian identity," Mr Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey, said in a post on social media platform X.