Washington [US], July 19 (ANI): In a major diplomatic breakthrough, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa have agreed to a ceasefire, U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack announced Saturday.
“BREAKTHROUGH — Israeli Prime Minister @Netanyahu and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa @SyPresidency, supported by the U.S.A. @SecRubio, have agreed to a ceasefire embraced by Türkiye, Jordan and its neighbors,” Barrack said in a post on X.
The announcement also called for unity among Syria’s diverse communities to support the peace initiative. “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 neighbors,” Barrack added.
The ceasefire follows Israeli airstrikes on Syria on Wednesday, which Israel said were launched to protect the Druze, a minority Arab religious group. Clashes between pro-government forces and Druze factions have left dozens dead since the ouster of longtime Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad, CNN reported.
Syria’s security forces began deploying Saturday in the southern province of Suwayda after days of deadly fighting between Druze and Bedouin groups and government forces, compounded by Israeli military intervention, Al Jazeera reported.
The deployment came hours after the U.S. announcement of the Israel-Syria ceasefire. However, overnight clashes have cast doubt over the truce’s durability. The Syrian government said the ceasefire was enacted “to spare Syrian blood, preserve the unity of Syrian territory, [and] the safety of its people.”
In a televised address, President al-Sharaa said he “received international calls to intervene in what is happening in Suwayda and restore security to the country.” He also accused Israel of reigniting tensions in the city, calling the fighting “a dangerous turning point,” while thanking the U.S. for its support.
Earlier, Interior Ministry spokesman Noureddine al-Baba announced on Telegram that “internal security forces have begun deploying in Suwayda province … with the aim of protecting civilians and putting an end to the chaos.”
Al Jazeera’s Mohamed Vall, reporting from Damascus, said it was unclear whether Syrian troops had entered Suwayda city itself or remained on its outskirts as of Saturday morning. He noted that Bedouin tribal fighters were awaiting clarification from the government about the ceasefire, while Druze leaders appeared split — some welcoming the truce, others vowing to continue fighting.
“Al-Sharaa said that national unity was a priority for his government and that part of its role was to act as a neutral referee between all parties,” Vall reported. “He praised the people of Suwayda — other than the few elements that wanted to sow trouble — saying that both Druze and Arab communities in the city were noble people.”
Fighting in Suwayda “continued throughout the night,” Al Jazeera reported, but the deployment of internal security forces was described as “welcome news” by many residents.
On Friday, an Israeli official told reporters on condition of anonymity that due to “ongoing instability in southwest Syria,” Israel had agreed to allow the “limited entry of the [Syrian] internal security forces into Suwayda district for the next 48 hours.”
The Syrian Health Ministry reported at least 260 deaths in the Druze-majority city, and the International Organization for Migration estimated that around 80,000 people have fled the area.
“A lot of extrajudicial killings [are] being reported,” Vall added. “People are suffering — even those who have been killed or forced to flee don’t have electricity, don’t have water, because most of those services have been badly affected by the fighting.”
On Friday night, Israeli forces dispersed what they called a “violent” gathering of Druze citizens near the border fence in the Majdal Shams area of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The Israeli army said several demonstrators crossed into Syrian territory and that efforts were underway to return them.
According to Al Jazeera, Damascus believes it received a green light from both the U.S. and Israel to send forces to Suwayda, based on Barrack’s remarks and security discussions with Israeli officials — despite earlier Israeli warnings against such deployment. (ANI)
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