Israel said it carried out a strike in Syria against “extremists” who attacked members of the Druze community, following through on a promise to protect the minority group as sectarian violence spread near Damascus on Wednesday.
It appeared to be Israel’s first military action in support of Syrian Druze since Bashar al-Assad was toppled, reflecting its deep mistrust of the authorities who replaced him and posing a further challenge to President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s efforts to establish control over the fractured nation.
A Syrian interior ministry source told Reuters Israeli drone strikes targeted government security forces, killing one of their members, in the mainly Druze town of Sahnaya on Damascus’ outskirts. The Druze adhere to a faith that is an offshoot of Islam and have followers in Syria, Lebanon and Israel.
Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt on Wednesday urged members of the minority community in Syria to reject “Israeli interference” following Israeli threats against Damascus authorities if they harm the Druze.
“Preserving the (Druze) brothers (in Syria) involves rejecting Israeli interference,” Jumblatt said following a meeting with Druze figures in Beirut to discuss sectarian violence that erupted in Syria this week.
Clashes near Damascus between security forces and local Druze fighters have reportedly killed 39 people in two days.
GR
FR
DE
ES
IT
RU
EU
Fighting between HTS militants and Druze groups with Israeli support is underway in southern Syria
ReplyDelete▪️Clashes are taking place in the city of Ashrafieh-Sahnayeh, south of Damascus. An evacuation has been announced in the city of one and a half million.
▪️It is reported that Israeli Druze have crossed the border and are participating in the fighting.
▪️They are supported by Israeli aircraft, striking at convoys of equipment and hiding militants.
Israel afirmó haber realizado este miércoles 30 de abril un ataque de advertencia en Siria contra un "grupo extremista" que —según el Gobierno de Netanyahu— planeaba atacar a los drusos en Sahnaya, cerca de Damasco.
ReplyDeleteEste ataque se produce en medio de intensos enfrentamientos confesionales entre grupos vinculados al Gobierno del presidente interino Ahmed al-Sharaa y combatientes drusos, que dejaron una docena de muertos en una jornada.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Thursday called on the international community to protect Syria’s Druze population, following two days of deadly sectarian clashes near Damascus.
ReplyDelete“I call on the international community to fulfill its role in protecting the minorities in Syria -- especially the Druze -- from the regime and its gangs of terror, and not to turn a blind eye to the tough events taking place there over the recent months,” Saar said at an event marking Israel’s Independence Day, according to a statement from his office.
Syria's Islamist rulers denounced an air strike near the presidential palace as a "dangerous escalation", as Israel reportedly launched its heaviest barrage this year on the country.
ReplyDeleteIsrael said the Damascus strike was a "clear message" to the government not to harm the Druze minority, following recent sectarian clashes.