Israel targets Bedouin convoy on Syrian highway: Report
Israeli forces have carried out an attack on Syria’s Palmyra-Homs highway, targeting a convoy of Bedouin fighters who were reportedly making their way towards restive Suwayda in the south of the country, according to Israel’s public broadcaster Kan News.
Bedouin fighters have still managed to reach the Suwayda area in the last few hours, the report said, confirming earlier reports from Arabic language news media.
Syria’s leadership has condemned Israel’s attacks as a violation of its sovereignty amid attempts to cement a ceasefire between Bedouin and Druze fighters in the south.
Israel has justified its latest bombing of Syria on the grounds that it is protecting the Druze minority.
Syrian troops preparing to redeploy in Suwayda following appeal for help
Syria’s Interior Ministry has said security forces are preparing to redeploy in the province of Suwayda to quell fighting that has resumed between Druze and Bedouin tribes. A source at the ministry says the decision has been made after appeals from locals for help.
Suwayda province is yet again a battleground. Bedouin tribes decided to launch an attack on a Druze faction, the Suwayda Military Council, who they accuse of carrying out violations and abuses against civilians following the withdrawal of government troops earlier this week.
Bedouin tribes who live in this predominantly Druze province have appealed to tribes in other parts of Syria to come and join the fight. Yesterday, we were in the Suwayda governorate and saw families leaving the area, carrying their belongings, fearful of what is coming next.
This is really a very dangerous development in post-Assad Syria.
The big question is what Israel would do. It has said it will not allow the presence of government forces in the south. We’ll have to see what happens in the coming hours.
Tribal leader in Suwayda issues call for fighters from other provinces to ‘save our people’
As we reported earlier, Bedouin tribes who have been clashing with Druze fighters around the southern Syrian city of Suwayda have appealed to tribes from across Syria to come and join their fight, following the resumption of violence there.
Footage shows tribal leader Abdul Moneim Al Naseef issuing a call for support as he is surrounded by armed tribesmen.
“To repel harm from our people, and in response to God’s command, we direct a call to the tribes in all Syrian provinces to head immediately to Suwayda to save our people from massacres and ethnic cleansing,” he said.
“We call on the sons of our tribes to uphold the morals of Islam and Arabism and to not attack anyone except those who attack them.”
Syria’s Interior Ministry has said security forces are preparing to redeploy in the province of Suwayda to quell fighting that has broken out again between Druze and Bedouin tribes. Syria began withdrawing government troops from the province on Wednesday night.
Fighters from Bedouin tribes gather on a road in al-Mazraa village leading to the predominantly Druze city of Suwayda in southern Syria
