Interim President of Syria Ahmed ash-Sharaa stated that protecting the country's Druze community is his "priority," following reports of troop withdrawal from As-Suwayda in accordance with a ceasefire agreement reached with Druze minority leaders, writes UNN with reference to BBC.
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In his first televised statement since Israeli airstrikes on Damascus on Wednesday, Ahmed ash-Sharaa also warned that Syrians are not afraid of war.
The statement came after Israel pledged to destroy government forces accused of attacking members of the religious minority in As-Suwayda province, the publication indicates.
Syrian state media reported the withdrawal of troops from As-Suwayda in accordance with a ceasefire agreement reached with Druze leaders. However, it is not yet clear whether this agreement will be implemented, the publication notes.
More than 350 people were reportedly killed in inter-communal clashes between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes that erupted in the province on Sunday.
The Syrian government responded by deploying troops for the first time in the predominantly Druze city of As-Suwayda. Ash-Sharaa's Sunni Islamist group led the rebel offensive that overthrew President Bashar al-Assad in December, ending a 13-year civil war.
However, fighting escalated, and local residents and activists accused government troops of killing Druze civilians and carrying out extrajudicial executions.
The Druze religion is an offshoot of Shia Islam with its unique identity and beliefs. In addition to Syria, significant Druze communities live in Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, and the Golan Heights.
Syrian Druze and other minorities have been suspicious of ash-Sharaa since his rise to power due to his jihadist past. His Islamist group "Hayat Tahrir al-Sham" is a former al-Qaeda wing and is still recognized as a terrorist organization by the UN, the publication notes.
Their fears intensified after several deadly outbreaks of inter-communal violence, including in May between Druze militias, security forces, and allied Islamist militants, which also prompted Israeli military intervention.
In his speech on Thursday morning, ash-Sharaa emphasized that the Druze are an "integral part of this nation" and that he rejects any attempts to draw them into the hands of what he called an "external force."
Ash-Sharaa stated that government troops deployed in As-Suwayda "successfully restored stability and expelled banned groups, despite Israeli intervention," which, he said, led to a "significant complication of the situation" and a "large-scale escalation."
"We are not those who fear war. We have dedicated our lives to overcoming difficulties and protecting our people, but we have put the interests of Syrians above chaos and destruction," he said.
Responsibility for security in As-Suwayda will now be transferred to religious elders and some local factions, "based on the highest national interests," he added.
Ash-Sharaa concluded his speech with a promise that the government "is committed to holding accountable those who committed crimes and offended our Druze people."
On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the country's Druze citizens that Israeli forces "are acting to save our Druze brothers and destroy the regime's gangs."
The Israeli military stated that its aircraft struck Syrian army headquarters in Damascus and a military facility near the presidential palace, as well as armored vehicles heading to As-Suwayda, and firing positions and weapons depots in southern Syria.
"We are acting decisively to prevent the strengthening of hostile elements beyond the border, to protect the citizens of the State of Israel, and to prevent harm to the peaceful Druze population," said Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir during a visit to the Golan Heights.
"We will not allow southern Syria to become a stronghold of terrorism," he warned.
The general also stated that "there is no place for unrest near the border fence" after hundreds of Druze crossed the well-fortified border with Syria on Wednesday.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the US is negotiating with all interested parties and "has agreed on specific steps that will end this disturbing and terrible situation."
"This will require all parties to fulfill their commitments, and we fully expect that," he added, without going into details.