Syria leader vows accountability for those who abused Druze

FE Team | Published: July 17, 2025 23:46:27

A Bedouin resident rides a motorbike with a pillion and his attached dog running alongside, as they leave the vicinity of the Druze al-Mazraa village in Syria's southern Sweida governorate on Thursday. — AFP

DAMASCUS, July 17 (AFP): Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa vowed Thursday that those behind violence against the Druze minority would be held accountable after deadly clashes in their southern heartland, saying security responsibility would be returned to local authorities.
"We are keen on holding accountable those who transgressed and abused our Druze people, as they are under the protection and responsibility of the state," Sharaa said in a televised address.
The Syrian government announced on Wednesday a new ceasefire in Sweida and a halt to military operations there after days of violence that killed more than 350 people, according to a war monitor.
It also said the army had begun withdrawing from the Druze-majority city.
Security forces had been deployed there a day earlier with the stated aim of overseeing a previous truce, following days of deadly clashes between Druze fighters and local Bedouin tribes.
EU calls on Israel to
stop Syria attacks
The European Union called on Israel to immediately stop its strikes on Syrian government targets while also saying Syria must calm ethnic conflict involving the Druze community in the south of the country.
"We urge Israel to immediately cease its strikes on Syrian territory, including on key institutions in Damascus, which jeopardise the lives of civilians and risk undermining Syria's transition," EU spokesperson Anouar El Anouni told AFP
"We also call on Syria's transitional authorities to de-escalate the situation in Sweida, which has already resulted in a high number of casualties," he added.