Army says there were no further crossings overnight, is working to patch up holes in fence; Kurdish official urges Sharaa to rethink approach to minorities

Syrian officials and Druze leaders have announced a new ceasefire after days of violent clashes, but Israel has continued its airstrikes after intervening.

Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa emphasised the protection of the Druze community following Israeli airstrikes. He expressed commitment to safeguarding their rights and reassured them against external threats during his televised address.

The Druze, a small but significant religious minority, straddle the complex political landscape of Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan. Their influence is notable in regional politics, amid rising violence in Syria.

(Reuters) -Syria's Druze have reached a ceasefire agreement with the Syrian government in Sweida that will take immediate effect, Druze religious leader Sheikh Yousef Jarbou said in a video broadcast by state media on Wednesday.

SANA says women and children among those killed by armed groups following withdrawal of government forces in Sweida

An AFP photographer counted 15 bodies on the street in the centre of Sweida today after government forces pulled out. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has said more than 370 people have been killed in sectarian clashes in the city since Sunday.

This week, that belief was put to the test. In Syria, Druze communities were massacred. The Druze are an Indigenous people with ancient ties to this region. They live across Syria, Lebanon, and Israel, and they’ve endured generations of marginalization ...