FM Gideon Sa’ar accuses Syrian leader of 'glorifying jihadists' and victim blaming, says global community 'has a duty to ensure the security and rights' of Syria's minority groups

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said tribal fighters withdrew from Sweida after a major Druze offensive.

A ceasefire went into effect late Wednesday, easing days of brutal clashes in Sweida. Now, members of its Druze community who fled or went into hiding are returning to search for loved ones and count their losses. They are finding homes looted and bloodied bodies of civilians in the streets.

After days of bloodshed in Syria's Druze city of Sweida, survivors emerged on Thursday to collect and bury the scores of dead found across the city. A ceasefire overnight brought an end to ferocious fighting between Druze militia and government forces sent to the city to quell clashes between Druze and Bedouin fighters.

Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa accused Israel of undermining Syrian unity and promised to protect the Druze minority amidst escalating conflicts involving government forces, Druze fighters, and Bedouin tribes.

Claims circulated that he was dead after a video appeared online of men in military attire taunting the 80-year-old. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

It says that 300 Druze were killed, including 146 fighters and 154 civilians, 83 of whom were "summarily executed" by government forces. At least 257 government personnel and 18 Bedouin fighters were also killed,