Syrian government and leaders of the Druze minority announce new ceasefire

Syria government and Druze minority leaders announce new ceasefire as Israel continues strikes

Syrian authorities have announced a new ceasefire agreement for the southern province of Sweida following days of fighting, but it remains uncertain whether peace will prevail after a local leader of the Druze minority rejected the deal. It comes after the collapse of a short-lived truce just a day earlier to bring an end to violent sectarian clashes that are said to have claimed more than 300 lives and prompted Israel to attack targets across S…

Israel bombs Syria army headquarters

Israel bombed the Syrian army's headquarters in Damascus on Wednesday after warning the Islamist-led government to leave the country's Druze minority alone, as authorities announced a ceasefire in the community's southern heartland after deadly sectarian clashes. Syrian government forces entered the majority-Druze city of Sweida on Tuesday with the stated aim of overseeing a ceasefire agreed with Druze community leaders following days of fightin…

Amid Israeli Strikes, Helsinki Commission Fears for Religious Minorities in Syria

WASHINGTON—Commissioners and former staff with a key human rights panel are voicing concern over religious freedom in the new Syrian regime, now facing attack from Israel in the name of a religious minority. Israel, which backed the ouster of former Syrian President Bashar Assad, launched heavy airstrikes on July 16 that hit Syria’s capital, Damascus, citing persecution of the Druze. The move comes after conflict between Sunni tribes and the Dru…

Syrian government and Druze minority leaders announce new ceasefire

Convoys of government forces have begun withdrawing from the city of Sweida

Syria, Druze Leaders Try Again for Ceasefire

Syrian government officials and leaders in the Druze religious minority announced a renewed ceasefire Wednesday—after days of clashes that have threatened to unravel the country's postwar political transition and drawn military intervention by powerful neighbor Israel. It was not immediately clear if the agreement, announced by Syria's Interior Ministry...