The interim President of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has responded to Israel’s air strikes on Damascus, saying that it is his “priority” to protect the country’s Druze citizens.
This comes after Israel’s attack on Wednesday and accusations that Syrian government forces were attacking members of the Druze religious minority in Suweida province.
In his televised speech early on Thursday, Sharaa stressed that the Druze were "a fundamental part of the fabric of this nation", and that he rejected any attempt for them to be dragged into the hands of what he called "an external party".
The president said government forces deployed to Suweida had "succeeded in restoring stability and expelling outlawed factions despite the Israeli interventions", which he said caused a "significant complication of the situation" and "a large-scale escalation".
Addressing the Israeli attack, he said, “The Israeli entity, which has consistently targeted our stability and sowed discord since the fall of the former regime, now seeks once again to turn our sacred land into a theatre of endless chaos.”
The Syrian interim President also warned that, "We are not among those who fear the war. We have spent our lives facing challenges and defending our people, but we have put the interests of the Syrians before chaos and destruction."
He added, “We affirm that protecting your rights and freedoms is among our top priorities. We reject any attempt, foreign or domestic, to sow division within our ranks.”
Sharaa ended the speech by promising that the government was "keen on holding accountable those who transgressed and abused our Druze people".
Military Withdraws
More than 350 people are reported to have been killed since sectarian clashes between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes erupted in the province on Sunday, as calculated by the UK-based war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
In response, the government sent troops to the mostly Druze city of Suweida for the first time. In December, President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown by a rebel attack headed by Sharaa's Sunni Islamist organisation, bringing an end to 13 years of civil war.
But as the conflict intensified, locals and activists accused government forces of arbitrary executions and the murder of Druze civilians.
According to the BBC, Syrian state media reported that the military was withdrawing from Suweida under a ceasefire agreement with Druze leaders. But it is not clear whether that will hold.
