The strikes near the capital, Damascus, were the latest Israeli military intervention in the country since a new government came to power.
Category: Druse (Sect)
Syrian Government Evacuates Bedouin Families After Deadly Clashes
The violence in Sweida Province between groups from Bedouin tribes and the Druse minority renewed fears of sectarian conflict and drew Israeli attacks before a cease-fire was announced Saturday.
Syria Declares Cease-Fire After a Week of Upheaval
The government announcement came hours after a top U.S. envoy to the region said that the country and Israel had agreed to a truce after sectarian-tinged clashes had left hundreds dead.
Who Are the Druse: The Religious Minority at the Center of Israel and Syria’s Tensions
Spread across Syria, Lebanon and Israel, the secretive religious minority has long balanced integration and independence. Now, members are at the heart of the region’s shifting power struggles.
Smell of Death Lingers in Syrian City After Spasm of Violence
Blood in the streets, smashed windows and the smell of corpses in the air: A resident of the southern city of Sweida describes the aftermath of a wave of sectarian violence.
Why Israel Attacked Syria
For weeks, Israel has engaged in back-channel talks over a diplomatic agreement with the Syrian government. Its strikes on Damascus this week highlight a lack of strategic clarity.
Syria’s President Condemns Israeli Strikes on Damascus
President Ahmed al-Shara said the attack threatened to escalate sectarian violence in his sharpest criticism of Israel since coming to power.
Israel Strikes Syria’s Capital, Sending Warning to Government
Israel threatened to escalate attacks on Syrian government forces unless they withdrew from Sweida, a southern province dominated by the Druse minority.
What to Know About the Fighting in Southern Syria
Druse militiamen have been fighting with Bedouins in the Sweida Province, and Syrian government forces and the Israeli military are getting involved.
Clashes between Bedouin and Druse in Syria Kill More Than 50, Health Official and Rights Group Say
The violence underscores the government’s challenge to assert nationwide control as ethnic and religious tensions simmer after the end of the civil war.
Druse in Syrian Town Rocked by Violence Agree to Disarm Militias
After this week’s bloodshed, Druse leaders in Ashrafieh Sahnaya agreed to integrate militia fighters into government forces. But some residents remain wary.
Israel Launches Airstrikes Near Presidential Palace in Damascus
It was the second time in days that Israel had intervened militarily in Syria amid sectarian violence targeting the Druse.
What to Know About Syria’s Druse, Alawites and Kurds as Sectarian Violence Rises
The new government has pledged to unify Syria after overthrowing the Assad dictatorship. One of its biggest challenges is persistent sectarian violence.
Death Toll Rises Sharply in a Wave of Sectarian Violence in Syria
With more than 100 people killed this week in a region controlled by the Druse minority, Druse leaders signaled new willingness to join forces with the Sunni Muslim-dominated government.
Amid Sectarian Violence in a Syrian City, Even the Funerals Are Armed
Amid sectarian clashes that killed seven men in Jaramana, tense residents say the government isn’t doing enough to protect them, and are organizing to guard the city.
Sectarian Clashes Spread Around Syria’s Capital, Drawing In Israel
The Israeli military said it had carried out a warning strike against “extremists” preparing to attack members of the Druse religious minority.
Sectarian Clashes Erupt in Syria, Killing 9
The sectarian-tinged violence was directed at a suburb of the Syrian capital with a large population from the Druse minority. Local Druse leaders said they held the government responsible.
Clashes Erupt in Damascus Outskirts, Killing 9
The sectarian-tinged violence was directed at a suburb of the Syrian capital with a large population from the Druse minority. Local Druse leaders said they held the government responsible.
