Druze in trouble: about 300 people captured in Syrian Essaouida
Hundreds of civilians were taken hostage after an attack by armed groups on Druze settlements in the Syrian province of Al-Suwayda, a source in the community told Izvestia. The truce announced by the central authorities is being respected, but remains extremely fragile. The increased frequency of clashes raises the question: is the new regime in Damascus able to keep the country from a new wave of sectarian violence, or is Syria once again facing a large-scale internal conflict? Against this background, on July 24, the first public meeting of Israeli officials and representatives of the current government in Damascus was held with the mediation of the United States.
The escalation in Essaouida
According to a source from the Druze community, "approximately 100 women and about 200 men and children were captured" in the Syrian province of al-Suwayda. The mass abductions were a continuation of the sharp escalation of the situation in southern Syria, where armed Bedouin gangs attacked Druze settlements on July 13. After the attack, the self-defense units tried to protect the civilian population.
Despite statements about readiness for negotiations, so far none of the parties has taken concrete steps to exchange prisoners. The escalation is accompanied by growing anxiety in Essaouida itself, which many Druze perceive as a symbol of national dignity and identity.
On July 19, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced a cease-fire and the deployment of army and police forces to the combat area. The truce announced by al-Sharaa appears to be being respected, but remains extremely fragile.
According to the Syria TV channel, by this point the consequences of the clashes turned out to be catastrophic: more than 558 dead, over 780 injured, about 2 thousand families were forced to flee to the neighboring province of Deraa. According to human rights activists from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the actual death toll may exceed a thousand.
The Druze are a special ethnic and religious minority settled in the mountainous and desert regions of Lebanon, Syria, Israel and Jordan. They are distinguished by their peculiar religious system and way of life. In particular, the Druze believe in the transmigration of souls, do not adhere to obligatory prayers, and reject polygamy and traditional rituals. Because of this, Islamic radicals do not recognize them as Muslims, often call them pagans or Satanists and call for their persecution. Sometimes the Druze are mistakenly referred to as Ismaili Shiites. The Druze community in the Middle East does not exceed 1.5 million people, while about half of them live in Syria — from 700 thousand to 850 thousand.
After attacks on local communities, Israel joined the conflict, its aircraft attacked Damascus, including the presidential palace and the Ministry of Defense building. The topic of support for the Druze has long occupied an important place in the political elite of the Jewish state.
As a retired Israeli diplomat of Druze origin, Rada Mansour, told Izvestia, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz have repeatedly stated that the country will support the Druze in Syria.
— This is the official position — it corresponds to the interests of Israel, — said Rada Mansour.
At the same time, he expressed skepticism about a possible prisoner exchange: "There are talks going on, but in practice nothing has started yet."
People line up for bread in the city of Al-Suwayda, Syria
Mansour also stressed that the future of Syria should be based on the principles of civil equality and a secular state.
— Syria is a country of minorities: Druze, Alawites, Christians, Kurds. And when someone says that the government should be Arab and Sunni, it excludes us. Kurds are not Arabs either. We, the Druze, propose to build a state in which everyone can coexist," he added.
The Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom claims that in recent days, a senior Israeli official has been involved in contacts between Druze and Bedouin in Syria regarding a possible prisoner exchange. The publication adds that "third parties, including the Americans," are negotiating with the Syrian government and Bedouin leaders. The goal is to secure the release of all hostages. At the same time, the Jewish State declares the need to preserve the buffer zone in the Golan.
Risks of deterioration of the situation in Syria
The situation in Essaouida has become a new blow to the stability of the region and has called into question the realism of efforts to build a secular and inclusive Syrian state.
According to orientalist Leonid Tsukanov, Russia is interested in stabilizing the southern regions of Syria, as it traditionally advocates the preservation of unity and centralization of the state.
View of Damascus
"Even after the overthrow of the government of Bashar al—Assad by opposition forces, Russia remains focused on developing a comprehensive dialogue with Damascus and preventing new rounds of civil war," the expert told Izvestia. — Moreover, attacks by radical elements on ethnic and religious minorities are stimulating new tensions on the ground, reducing the effectiveness of diplomatic interaction.
Assessing the possible consequences of the current escalation, Leonid Tsukanov stressed that the development of the situation in Essaouida could be an alarming signal for the whole of Syria.
— After the intervention of external players, the conflict was temporarily stopped. If Damascus agrees to be flexible towards minorities and does not take a formal approach to investigating the root causes of the incident, this can increase confidence in the central authorities and ensure the stabilization of their relations with local communities. Otherwise, there is a risk not only of weakening the influence of Damascus in the border provinces, but also of disrupting agreements on the integration of Kurdish militias into the Syrian Armed Forces," the expert believes.
U.S. Special Envoy Tom Barrack
On July 24, Israeli and Syrian officials held a meeting in Paris with the participation of U.S. Special Envoy Tom Barrack. This was apparently the first public confirmation of contacts between representatives of the Jewish state and the new government in Damascus.
"I met with Syrians and Israelis in Paris tonight. Our goal is dialogue and de-escalation, and that is exactly what we have achieved. All sides confirmed their commitment to continue these efforts," Barrack wrote on social media late on Thursday evening.
The Israeli and Syrian authorities have not yet officially commented on the information about the meeting. Barrack did not specify who exactly took part in the negotiations, however, according to the Axios portal, Israel was represented by Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, and the Syrian side was represented by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani.
The last time representatives of this level from Israel and Syria met was in 2000, when then-US President Bill Clinton hosted Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa for peace talks.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
