Syrian government withdraws troops from Suwayda – more than 350 people were killed in the fighting there

The Syrian government has withdrawn its troops from the southern province of Suwayda, which is inhabited mainly by Druze. This was reported by Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya.

Syria's interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, announced in a televised address on July 17 that responsibility for security in Suwayda would be transferred to religious elders and local groups "based on the highest national interests."

"We want to bring to justice those who violated the rules and abused our Druze people, as they are under the protection and responsibility of the state," he said.

Government forces reported that the order to withdraw came shortly before midnight, and they completed the withdrawal at dawn.

The Ministry of Interior has published the text of the new agreement. It provides for a "complete and immediate cessation of all military operations" and the formation of a committee of government officials and spiritual leaders of the Druze to oversee the implementation of the truce.

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reportedreported that 374 people were killed in the fighting that began on July 11, including those killed in Israeli air strikes on Damascus.

At the same time, 27 of them, including four women and an elderly man, were executed extrajudicially by government forces.

• july 13 in Suwaidah there were clashes between Druze and Bedouin Arabs, with dozens of deaths. Later, Syrian government security forces joined the confrontation with the Druze.
• on July 15, Israel decided to intervene in the conflict and the IDF announced about strikes on Syrian army equipment in Suwayda.
• on July 16, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that the warnings for Syria were over, and now "painful blows will come." After that explosions occurred in the capital Damascus.
• On the same day, the Druze ethnic community and Syrian government forces signed a truce after Israeli strikes on Damascus.