Syrian leader pledges security for all, slams Israeli strikes on Damascus

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa says protecting the country’s Druze citizens and their rights is a priority as he announces that local leaders will take control of security in the city of Suwayda in a bid to end sectarian violence in the south and in the wake of deadly Israeli strikes in Damascus. In a televised speech on Thursday, the Syrian leader addressed days of fierce fighting involving Druze armed groups, Bedouin tribes and government forces in the predominantly Druze city of Suwayda. “We are eager on holding accountable those who transgressed and abused our Druze people because they are under the protection and responsibility of the state,” al-Sharaa said in the speech, describing the minority as “a fundamental part of the fabric of this nation”. “We affirm that protecting your rights and freedoms is among our top priorities,” he said. “We reject any attempt, foreign or domestic, to sow division within our ranks.” Al-Sharaa said “responsibility” for security in the violence-plagued area would be handed over to religious elders and some local factions “based on the supreme national interest”. Al-Sharaa’s remarks came after the Syrian government and Druze leader Sheikh Yousef Jarbou announced a new ceasefire in the city and said the army had begun withdrawing from Suwayda. Dozens of Syrian military vehicles were seen leaving the city overnight. Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr reports from the outskirts of Suwayda, Syria. Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/ Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.io/AJEMobile #Syria #Israel #SyriaViolence #IsraelSyriaTensions #SyriaUnrest #SyriaCeasefire #Suwayda #Damascus #SyriaClashes #SyriaDruze #SyriaSectarianViolence