Syrian army starts withdrawing from Sweida after US request
What's the story
The Syrian army has started withdrawing from the conflict-ridden city of Sweida, following a United States request. The decision comes after a series of Israeli airstrikes on Damascus and a US push for Syrian government forces to leave the majority-Druze city in southern Syria. The US, which is allied with Israel, announced an agreement to restore calm in Sweida and urged all parties to uphold their commitments.
Truce terms
Syrian government had earlier declared a ceasefire in Sweida
The Syrian army "has begun withdrawing from the city of Sweida in implementation of the terms of the adopted agreement, after the end of the sweep of the city for outlaw groups," a defense ministry statement said. However, there is no mention of the withdrawal of other government security forces, who had arrived to supervise a previous truce with Druze community leaders. On Tuesday, the Syrian government declared a ceasefire in Sweida, which has seen over 350 deaths since Sunday.
Escalating conflict
Israel has launched several attacks on Damascus
However, hours after the ceasefire was announced, Israel launched several attacks on Damascus on Wednesday, claiming to defend the Druze community. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Damascus to "leave the Druze in Sweida alone," threatening further action if government forces didn't withdraw. In response, Syria's foreign ministry condemned these attacks as a "dangerous escalation." The Syrian health ministry reported three deaths and 34 injuries from the strikes on Damascus.
Diplomatic efforts
US Secretary of State expresses concern over Israeli bombings
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed concern over the Israeli bombings and called for an end to the violence. A State Department spokesperson urged Syria to withdraw its military forces to help de-escalate tensions. Rubio later announced on social media that all parties had "agreed on specific steps" to end the situation, expecting them to uphold their commitments without elaborating on specific details.