Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa accused Israel of seeking “chaos and destruction” following airstrikes against Syrian government forces
The strikes, carried out Wednesday in Damascus, were aimed at protecting Syria’s Druze community, according to Israel.
In his first televised address after the strikes, Sharaa spoke directly to the Druze, promising to protect them and rejecting any attempt to involve them with “external forces.” He said: “We are not afraid of war.
We constantly face challenges to defend our people, but we place the interests of the Syrians above chaos and destruction.”
In Sweida, a Druze-majority city in southern Syria, witnesses reported that government forces, sent to quell clashes between Druze and Bedouin fighters, ended up joining forces with the Bedouin to attack Druze, including civilians.
On Wednesday, the Syrian government announced the withdrawal of its troops from Sweida following a new ceasefire, but some Druze leaders rejected the agreement.
Israel, which destroyed part of the Syrian Ministry of Defense and struck areas near the presidential palace, promised to continue protecting the Druze.
Sharaa stated that the Syrian people are ready to fight if their dignity is threatened and accused Israel of attacking civilian and government facilities, which would have complicated the situation.
He said the intervention of American, Arab, and Turkish mediators prevented a further escalation.
The Syrian president promised to punish those responsible for the violence against the Druze, asserting that they are under the protection of the state.
“The Druze are an essential part of our nation, and protecting their rights and freedom is one of our priorities,” he declared.
The Israeli attacks marked an escalation against Sharaa’s Islamist-led government, despite signs of rapprochement between him and the United States, as well as security contacts with Israel.
Israel considers Syria’s new rulers “disguised jihadists” and has vowed to prevent military forces from approaching the south of the country, as well as to protect the Druze.
On Wednesday, about a thousand young Druze from Israel crossed the border to help the community in Sweida.
The United States said the fighting would soon cease.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on social media that measures had been agreed to end the violence.
The UN Security Council will meet on Thursday to discuss the conflict.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that more than 350 people died in the violence, including 79 Druze fighters, 55 civilians (27 of whom were executed by members of the defense and interior ministries), 189 members of those ministries, and 18 Bedouin fighters.
Among the victims was journalist Hassan al-Zaabi, killed by “outlaw gangs” in Sweida, according to the Syrian journalists’ union.
Videos on social media showed government-linked fighters disrespecting Druze leaders, tearing down flags, and trampling on photos of clerics.
Other videos showed Druze attacking captured government forces.
AP journalists reported houses burned and looted in the area.
Syria’s Islamist government, which overthrew Bashar al-Assad in December, faces tensions with the country’s religious and ethnic minorities, accused of failing to adequately protect them.
In March, more than 1,700 Alawites were massacred, with government-linked groups blamed for the main culprits.
Clashes between government forces and Druze in Sweida and near Damascus in April and May also left more than 100 dead.
Published in 07/17/2025 19h07
Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption.
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