Islamists Massacre Druze in Syria

The US called for calm in Syria and warned that “the rape and slaughter of innocent people” must stop.

Fighting in the country’s south, sparked by conflict between rival Druze and Bedouin groups, has led to the deaths of over 1,000 people.

The toll included more than 500 Druze, members of a minority religious group, 194 of whom were “summarily executed by defence and interior ministry personnel”, a war monitor said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said those killed since last Sunday also included 342 government security personnel and 21 Sunni Bedouin, three of them civilians.

The group said some of the Bedouin were also “summarily executed by Druze fighters”. Another 15 were killed in air strikes carried out by Israel, which has promised to protect the Druze.

Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said: “The US has remained heavily involved over the last three days with Israel, Jordan and authorities in Damascus on the horrifying and dangerous developments in southern Syria. The rape and slaughter of innocent people, which has and is still occurring, must end.”

Amid the bloodshed, the Syrian government said that the fighting had “halted” on Sunday, after the southern city of Sweida had been recaptured by Druze fighters and state forces redeployed to the region. A US-brokered ceasefire was announced on Saturday to avert further Israeli military intervention.

Syria’s interior ministry spokesman Noureddine al-Baba said in a post on Telegram that Sweida was “evacuated of all tribal fighters, and clashes within the city’s neighbourhoods were halted”.

However, Bassem Fakhr, spokesman for the Men of Dignity, one of the two largest Druze armed groups, told AFP there was “no Bedouin presence in the city”.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also said, “tribal fighters withdrew from Sweida city on Saturday evening”, after Druze fighters launched a large-scale attack.

Fighting continued in other parts of Sweida province, even as the Druze regained control of their city following days of fierce battle with armed Bedouin supported by tribal gunmen from other parts of Syria.

Israel first announced its involvement in the rapidly escalating conflict last week. It initially used air strikes partly to push back Islamist fighters from its borders in the disputed Golan Heights and later announced that it was intervening to support the Druze community, of which 150,000 live in Israel and serve in the country’s military.

But its involvement in Syria is leading to concerns among some in the White House, with Axios reporting that Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, is now out of control.

“Bibi [Mr Netanyahu] acted like a madman. He bombs everything all the time,” one White House official told Axios, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname. “This could undermine what [President Donald] Trump is trying to do.”

Last week, Israel dropped bombs on Syria’s ministry of defence and near the presidential palace, causing eyebrows to raise in the US on the heels of Israel’s war with Iran, which led to destruction on both sides.

Another official told Axios that “Netanyahu is sometimes like a child who just won’t behave”.

Just months after the country underwent a massive revolution to overthrow the decades-long dictatorial rule of the Assad family, Mr Rubio warned Damascus that it must work to achieve calm.

He wrote on X: “If authorities in Damascus want to preserve any chance of achieving a unified, inclusive and peaceful Syria free of Isis and Iranian control, they must help end this calamity by using their security forces to prevent Isis and any other violent jihadists from entering the area and carrying out massacres.

“And they must hold accountable and bring to justice anyone guilty of atrocities, including those in their own ranks. Furthermore, the fighting between Druze and Bedouin groups inside the perimeter must also stop immediately.”

Tom Barrack, who is the US ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria and is aiding ceasefire talks, said the deal had the backing of Turkey, a key supporter of Syria’s interim president, as well as neighbouring Jordan.

“We call upon 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 neighbours,” Mr Barrack wrote on X.

Mr Barrack later held a meeting in Amman with top diplomats from Syria and Jordan, during which they “agreed on practical steps to support Syria in implementing the agreement”, he added later on X.