Over 100 people have been killed during clashes between Druze and Bedouins in Sweida, according to information from the British-based Syrian Human Rights Observatory (SOHR).
On Tuesday, two hours after Syrian government forces entered the city as a result of the clashes, the Israeli air strikes against Sweida came. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz confirm the attacks.
”Familial ties”
The attacks are "a response to the regime's activity against the Druze population there: The action violates the demilitarization policy previously decided, which aimed to prevent the deployment of forces and weapons in southern Syria that could pose a threat to Israel", Netanyahu and Katz write in a joint statement, reports Haaretz.
In the statement, they refer to "the deep fraternal bond with Israel's Druze citizens and their historical and familial ties to the Druze in Syria".
On Tuesday morning, Syria's Defense Minister declares a ceasefire after ”agreements with local leaders”. The Ministry of Defense has urged residents to ”stay at home and report all movements from lawless groups”.
Several spiritual leaders of the Druze population have urged different groups to hand over their weapons, but the religious leader Hikmat al-Hijri earlier called for ”resistance to this brutal campaign with all available means”.
The authorities had declared a curfew in the city on Tuesday morning to limit the unrest.
Kidnappings
The clashes began on Sunday when armed Bedouins kidnapped a Druze vegetable seller, which led to kidnappings as revenge.
Bedouin and Druze factions have a long-standing feud in Sweida, and violence sometimes breaks out between the two sides. The latest violence is the first with fatal outcome since Druze and security forces clashed in May, with dozens dead as a result.
SOHR calls the escalation ”dramatic”.
