Illustrative image. (The Israeli Defense Forces)
Druze fighters, led by the al-Suwayda Military Council (SMC), launched a counter-attack in al-Suwayda on July 15 afternoon, as Israel intensified strikes on the forces of the country’s Islamist-led government that stormed the city in the early morning.
According to the Israeli Defense Forces, the strikes targeted main battle tanks, armored personnel carriers and multiplier rocket launchers in al-Suwayda and its outskirts. Syrian media reported other strikes far from the city, with some even hitting a base near the town of Izraa in the western countryside of neighboring Daraa.
The strikes began after the Syrian Ministry of Defense announced that it was pulling out its heavy weapons from al-Suwayda to facilitate the deployment of security forces.
Shortly after the strikes, the SMC led a counter-attack to recapture al-Suwayda. By the early evening, most of the city was once again in the hands of Druze fighters. Government troops took heavy losses, but managed to hold onto some areas in the western parts of the city.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to Syrian Druze, although he called for de-escalation.
“We have a commitment to maintain the southwestern region of Syria as a demilitarized zone in the State of Israel. We will not allow the creation of a second Lebanon there, and we are also committed to protecting the Druze population. We are doing this through intense actions. I hope we will not have to act further; it depends greatly on what is understood and done, and also not done in Damascus,” the primer said while visiting a base in the Jordan Valley.
A fierce battle is expected to take place in al-Suwayda overnight, as government forces brought in more reinforcements including special forces and drone units.
The deployment of government forces in al-Suwayda saw major violations, with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a London-based monitoring group, reporting the summary execution of at least 21 Druze civilians, including three women. Videos posted to social networks showed some of the executions as well as Druze civilians being humiliated by government troops.
The battle in al-Suwayda began on July 13, as a result of a local conflict between Druze fighters and Sunni tribesmen. Early on July 14, the Islamist-led government announced that it was intervening to stop the conflict, but ended up backing the tribesmen.
The battle has so far claimed the lives of 166 people, according to the SOHR. The real death toll is likely much. Pro-government activists said that over 200 troops were killed after the Druze counter-attack on July 15.
While Israel’s latest strikes were more effective than the symbolic ones it carried out before, it is still unclear if Netanyahu is willing to go all the way to protect Syrian Druze.
The government attack on al-Suwayda began right after reports of a high-level meeting between Israeli and Syrian officials in Azerbaijan. Thus, it is very likely that Israel had agreed to let go of the Druze in order to advance a peace agreement with Syria.
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the protecting druze may just be a cover for further zio bot land grabs in syria . the fog of war is a great place to hide plans of conquest . whatever israel military actions and created statements , they will never be trusted by anyone but fools
idf must enter syria now and destroy jihadist .
just try like you tried in gaza and see in what unique ways they will get obliterated.
hamas: we fight all forces who want to take our land. — jewlanis: all we can do is behading and killing zivilists their woman and children. — jews: we are same, let us kill some of you and be friends again — we have same hobbies.
god bless the autobots man, the only race fighting for freedom. khoomans in syria have lost the meaning of being peaceful and innocent. this is what happens when you embrace a terroristic and barbaric religion, known as islam.
how do you say: “do you miss me yet” in arabitchs
who cares. arabisch is a horrible language.