Syria's interim president urges Bedouin tribes to commit to ceasefire
ending clashes with the Druze
[July 19, 2025]
By SALLY ABOU ALJOUD
BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa urged Sunni
Muslim Bedouin tribes Saturday to “fully commit” to a ceasefire aimed at
ending clashes with Druze-linked militias that left hundreds dead and
threatened to unravel the country’s post-war transition.
This comes as government forces, initially sent to restore order but
effectively sided with the Bedouins against the Druze, were redeployed
to halt renewed fighting that erupted late Thursday in the southern
province of Sweida. The violence has also drawn airstrikes against
Syrian forces by neighboring Israel before a truce was reached.
In his second televised address since the fighting started, al-Sharaa
blamed “armed groups from Sweida” for reigniting the conflict by
“launching retaliatory attacks against the Bedouins and their families.”
He also said Israeli intervention “pushed the country into a dangerous
phase."
Israel had launched dozens of airstrikes on convoys of government
fighters and even struck the Syrian Defense Ministry headquarters in
central Damascus, saying it was in support of the Druze, who form a
substantial community in Israel and are seen as a loyal minority, often
serving in the Israeli military.
Reports had surfaced of Syrian government-affiliated fighters executing
Druze civilians and looting and burning homes over the four-day
violence.
U.S. envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, announced that Israel and Syria had
agreed to a ceasefire early Saturday. Al-Sharaa made no direct reference
to the agreement in his speech, but said “American and Arab mediations
stepped in” to restore calm.
Addressing the Bedouins, al-Sharaa said they “cannot replace the role of
the state in handling the country’s affairs and restoring security.” He
also said: “We thank the Bedouins for their heroic stances but demand
they fully commit to the ceasefire and comply with the state’s orders."
[to top of second column]
|
In this photo provided by Azerbaijan's Presidential Press Office,
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, right, and Syria's interim
president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, second left, stand on the balcony during
their meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Saturday, July 12, 2025.
(Azerbaijani Presidential Press Office via AP)
Meanwhile, a prominent Druze leader, Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri, who
opposes the current government and has distanced himself from the
two ceasefires announced on Tuesday and Wednesday, said an
agreement, brokered under the sponsorship of guarantor states, has
several measures aimed at de-escalating tensions in Suweida.
This includes the deployment of General Security checkpoints outside
the province’s administrative borders to contain clashes and prevent
infiltration, a 48-hour ban on entry by any party into border
villages, and safe, guaranteed passage for remaining members of the
Bedouin tribes still inside the province.
Sharaa reiterated that Suweida “remains an integral part of the
Syrian state, and the Druze constitute a fundamental pillar of the
Syrian national fabric," vowing to protect all minorities in Syria.
He also thanked the United States for its “significant role in
affirming its support for Syria during these difficult times,” as
well as Arab countries and Turkey, who mediated Wednesday's truce.
More than half of the roughly 1 million Druze worldwide live in
Syria. Most of the other Druze live in Lebanon and Israel, including
in the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967
Mideast War and annexed in 1981.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved
 |
