Key Points
- Israel and Syria have come to a ceasefire arrangement following several days of conflict.
- Tensions in the Sweida province escalated due to battles between Bedouin and Druze groups.
- The United States played a role in establishing an earlier peace agreement between government forces and Druze fighters.
The Israeli embassy in Washington and the Syrian consulate in Canada have yet to comment on the ceasefire agreement.
Days of violence
On Friday evening, the Syrian presidency announced a plan to deploy forces in the south to quell ongoing clashes, alongside political and security actions aimed at restoring peace and preventing further conflict.
Nonetheless, Reuters reported that thousands of Bedouin fighters continued to flock to Sweida on Friday, raising concerns among locals that the violence could persist without resolution.
At least 13 people were unlawfully killed in one recorded incident on Tuesday when affiliates of the interim authorities opened fire at a family gathering, the OHCHR said. Six men were summarily executed near their homes the same day.
Israel’s deep distrust of Syria’s new Islamist-led leadership appears to be at odds with the United States, which said it did not support the recent Israeli strikes on Syria.
