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In a major diplomatic achievement, Israel and Syria have agreed to a truce with the backing of Turkey, Jordan, and other regional countries, US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack said.
The move comes after a wave of heavy battles, with Israel striking Damascus earlier this week and Syrian government troops in the south of the country. The Israeli military stated that its operations were for the purpose of protecting the Druze community a politically influential minority group with members living in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel.
Ambassador Barrack endorsed the deal on Friday, declaring on social media site X: “We call upon Druze, Bedouins, and Sunnis to put down their weapons and, along with other minorities, create a new and unified Syrian identity.”
The Syrian Consulate in Canada and Israeli embassy in Washington have not released official statements on the ceasefire.
The attempt at de-escalation followed after the US ramped up diplomatic action to end the conflict. On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the parties involved had agreed on tangible action to end what he referred to as a “troubling and horrifying situation.”
The ceasefire was also preceded by a Syrian government army withdrawal from Sweida, an area that in recent times had witnessed some of the bloodiest battles. The retreat is being regarded as an important move towards de-escalating hostilities.
Regional powers have received the ceasefire as a hopeful step towards long-term stability in southern Syria, where minority groups have been subjected to mounting pressure from the ongoing civil war.
Though the deal is a promising shift, experts caution that entrenched hostilities and the fractured composition of Syrian opposition forces may complicate matters in the next steps. More follows as the diplomatic process continues.
