Syrian Acting President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced on Friday (July 18) that Syria and Israel have reached an agreement on a ceasefire in the south, facilitated by mediation from the United States and Arab countries. However, on Saturday (July 19), gunfire and mortar sounds were still heard in the city area of Sweida province and surrounding villages, indicating that the ceasefire has not been fully implemented.
The Syrian Ministry of Interior stated that security forces have begun deploying to the area to assist in implementing a comprehensive ceasefire and stabilizing the situation. Sweida province witnessed intense sectarian clashes over the past week, resulting in hundreds of casualties. What started as clashes between Bedouin militants and Druze militiamen escalated into confrontations between the Druze community and government forces, leading to Israeli airstrikes on southern Syria and Damascus defense facilities.
Israel stated that the airstrikes were carried out to protect the Druze community, which is also one of the minority ethnicities in Israel. An Israeli official revealed on Friday that the Syrian government forces have been allowed limited entry into Sweida province in the next two days to help stabilize the situation.
However, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar expressed opposition to the Sharaa regime on the social media platform X, criticizing its unfriendliness towards minority ethnic groups, stating that “in Sharaa’s Syria, being Kurdish, Druze, Alawite, or Christian is extremely dangerous.”
Sharaa emphasized in a television address that Syria will not become an “experimental ground for division, separation, or sectarian incitement,” and stated that “Israeli intervention has pushed the country into a dangerous stage.” He called for unity among the Druze, Bedouins, Sunnis, and other ethnic groups to rebuild national identity.
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, expressed that the U.S. welcomes the ceasefire agreement and urges all ethnic groups to end hostilities and move towards reconciliation.
According to local medical units, a hospital in Sweida city has admitted dozens of patients with blast and shrapnel wounds. A villager reported that as of Saturday afternoon, mortar shells were still falling near residential areas, resulting in at least 22 injuries.
The current Syrian regime is dominated by Islamist factions, which came to power at the end of 2024 after overthrowing the Bashar al-Assad regime, promising to establish a “Syria for all its citizens.”
(This article referenced reporting from Reuters)