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Israel and Syria have agreed to a ceasefire following Israel’s military intervention this week in sectarian fighting between Syrian government forces and rival armed groups, according to U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack. The announcement came Saturday as renewed clashes erupted between Druze groups and Bedouin clans in Syria’s southern Sweida province, prompting Syria’s president to deploy troops back into the region.
Barrack announced the ceasefire agreement on X, formerly Twitter, stating it has support from Turkey, Jordan, and other neighboring countries. The envoy called for “Druze, Bedouins, and Sunnis to put down their weapons and together with other minorities build a new and united Syrian identity in peace and prosperity with its neighbors.”
The current violence began when clashes erupted between Druze militias and local Sunni Muslim Bedouin tribes in Sweida province. Syrian government forces initially intervened to restore order but sided with the Bedouins against the Druze population. This prompted Israel to launch dozens of airstrikes on Syrian government convoys and even strike the Syrian Defense Ministry headquarters in Damascus.
The Druze form a substantial community in Israel, where they are considered a loyal minority and often serve in the Israeli military. The religious sect originated as a 10th-century offshoot of Shiite Islam, with roughly half of the world’s one million Druze living in Syria.
A temporary truce was reached Wednesday through mediation by the U.S., Turkey, and Arab countries, allowing Druze factions to maintain internal security as government forces withdrew. However, fighting resumed by Thursday, leading to Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s decision to redeploy “specialized forces.”
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Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article.
This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.