Damascus [Syria], July 17: Syria said its army had begun withdrawing from Sweida on July 16 after Israeli air strikes on the capital Damascus and the United States demanded that government forces leave the southern Druze-majority city.
The United States, a close ally of Israel and trying to restore relations with Syria , said on July 16 that an agreement had been reached to restore peace in the region, and called on "all parties to fulfill the commitments they have made," according to AFP.
Earlier, the Syrian government announced a new ceasefire in Sweida, which will end military operations there, after deadly clashes since July 13.
The Syrian army "has begun withdrawing from the city of Sweida to implement the terms of the agreed agreement, after concluding the operation to clear outlawed groups in the city," the Syrian Defense Ministry stressed in a statement.
The statement made no mention of the withdrawal of other government security forces, which were deployed to the city of Sweida on July 15 to monitor a ceasefire agreed with Druze community leaders after days of bloody fighting with Bedouin tribes.
However, that ceasefire appeared to have little effect, as witnesses said government forces joined Bedouins in attacking members of the Druze community and civilians in a bloody massacre across the city.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said violence in Sweida province since July 13 has killed more than 350 people, including members of government forces, local fighters and 27 civilians from the Druze community.
The Syrian president's office said it would investigate the "atrocities" in Sweida and punish "all those proven to be involved".
After carrying out airstrikes in Sweida province earlier this week in an attempt to protect the Druze, Israel launched a series of attacks on the capital Damascus on July 16.
Israel also said it had struck a "military target" in the presidential palace area, while a Syrian Interior Ministry source reported airstrikes outside the capital "in the area near the Mazzeh (military) airport".
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz called on Damascus to "leave the Druze in Sweida alone", and threatened to inflict "painful blows" until government forces withdrew.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks as a "dangerous escalation", while Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir insisted his forces were "acting responsibly, with restraint and sound judgment".
At least three people were killed and 34 injured in new Israeli airstrikes on Damascus, the Syrian Health Ministry said, according to AFP.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
