Illustrative image. (Syrian Arab News Agency)
Druze fighters, led by the al-Suwayda Military Council and the Men of Dignity, recaptured the key town of Umm al-Zaytun from tribal forces loyal to Syria’s Islamist-led interim government on July 25.
The fighters entered Umm al-Zaytun, located in the northern al-Suwayda in the morning. Later in the afternoon, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported a series of violations by tribal forces, which targeted the town with mortars and heavy machine guns.
The escalation came just a day after a meeting between Israel’s Minister of Strategic Affairs Ronald Dermer and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani in France. United States special envoy Tom Barrack announced the meeting.
“I met this evening with the Syrians and Israelis in Paris. Our goal was dialogue and de-escalation, and we accomplished precisely that. All parties reiterated their commitment to continuing these efforts,” Barrack tweeted late July 24. There was no immediate confirmation from either Syrian or Israeli officials.
The situation in al-Suwayda was reportedly the focus of the meeting. The governorate witnessed a fierce battle earlier this month with the government dispatching large forces to disarm Druze fighters there. What unfolded later was a series of war crimes targeting Druze civilians that provoked an Israeli intervention, and an attack by pro-government forces that further complicated the situation.
SOHR reported that an agreement was reached during the meeting, under which government forces, which are still present in some parts of al-Suwayda northern and western countryside, would withdraw and the Druze will be granted a self-administration. These claims are yet to be confirmed by any official sources from Israel or Syria.
Israel had vowed to protect the Druze following the fall of the Assad regime last year citing its close relations with its own Druze community.
The battle in al-Suwayda has so far claimed the lives of 1,386 people, according to the SOHR, which said that 238 were Druze civilians executed by government forces.
Besides the high death toll, the battle also resulted in the displacement of all Bedouin civilians from al-Suwayda. Late on July 24, the last batch was evacuated from the governorate.
All in all, the clashes in Umm al-Zaytun indicate that the battle is not over yet. Tribal forces are yet to withdraw and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu renewed his vow to protect the Druze and demilitarize all of southern Syria in a speech on July 24.
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