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Hundreds in Syria’s Sweida demand Druze self-determination; some wave Israeli flag
Times of Israel ^ | 16 August 2025

Posted on 08/17/2025 5:29:14 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican

Hundreds demonstrated in Syria’s Sweida on Saturday, denouncing last month’s sectarian violence and calling for the right to self-determination for the Druze-majority province.

A week of bloodshed began on July 13 with clashes between Druze fighters and Sunni Bedouin, but rapidly escalated, drawing in government forces and volunteers from other parts of Syria.

Syrian authorities have said their forces intervened to stop the clashes, but witnesses, Druze factions and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights have accused them of siding with the Bedouin and committing abuses against the Druze, including summary executions.

The Observatory has said the violence killed some 1,600 people, many of them Druze civilians.

In one of Sweida’s main squares, some demonstrators waved the Israeli flag, an AFP correspondent reported.

Israel, which has its own Druze community, bombed government forces during last month’s violence, saying it was acting to defend the minority group as well as enforce its demands for the demilitarization of southern Syria.

(Excerpt) Read more at timesofisrael.com ...


TOPICS: Syria
KEYWORDS: druze

1 posted on 08/17/2025 5:29:14 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

We will see Druze flags on Facebook pages...when?


2 posted on 08/17/2025 5:34:59 PM PDT by fhayek
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To: MinorityRepublican

This is gonna drive certain people over the edge …


3 posted on 08/17/2025 6:42:27 PM PDT by Uncle Miltie (US spending on Ukraine over 3.5 years exceeds the all military aid to Israel over 77 years. - Grok)
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