BEIRUT, July 18 – Syria’s interior ministry spokesperson said on Friday that government forces were not preparing to deploy to Sweida Province, the state news agency reported.
Noureddin al-Baba denied a Reuters report citing an interior ministry media officer as saying security forces were preparing to redeploy to Druze-majority Sweida city to quell fighting involving Bedouin tribes and the Druze, part of a religious minority in Syria that has followers in Lebanon and Israel.
A fragile truce was holding in Syria’s south on Friday after a ceasefire announced on Wednesday briefly ended days of fighting that began when Bedouin and Druze fighters clashed in Sweida province in southern Syria, prompting the Syrian government to send in troops.
The clashes drew in Israel, which said it would not allow Syria’s Islamist-led government to deploy troops to the south.
Israel hit Syrian troops in Sweida and Syria’s defence ministry, and struck close to the presidential palace in Damascus.
Syrian troops withdrew from Sweida after the truce was announced but clashes resumed late on Thursday between the tribal Bedouin fighters and the Druze.
Israel’s military carried out new attacks in Sweida province overnight.
Describing Syria’s new rulers as barely disguised jihadists, Israel has vowed to shield the area’s Druze community from attack, encouraged by calls from Israel’s own Druze minority.
Its deep distrust of Syria’s new Islamist-led leadership appears to be at odds with the United States, which said it did not support recent Israeli strikes on Syria.
The U.S. intervened to help secure the earlier truce between government forces and Druze fighters, and the White House said on Thursday that it appeared to be holding.
Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, who has worked to establish warmer ties with the U.S., accused Israel of trying to fracture Syria and promised to protect its Druze minority.
REUTERS
