In a speech delivered today, Monday, during his reception of the new leader of the ‘Men of Dignity Movement,’ Mazid Khadaj, he appealed to the ‘honorable people of the world and free countries to stand with the Druze sect in order to declare a separate region forever.’ He also considered that the ‘National Guard,’ recently formed from armed Druze groups, ‘will defend the land with the guarantee of countries concerned with this matter,’ as he put it.
These statements came days after the U.S. special envoy to Syria, Tom Barak, officially met with the Druze spiritual leader in Israel, Mowafaq Tarif, in Paris, where they discussed the situation in Sweida.
Sweida witnessed clashes and confrontations that lasted for a week on July 13th between Druze fighters and Bedouin tribes, prompting government security forces to intervene to stop the confrontations between the two sides, while about 200,000 were displaced due to the conflict, according to United Nations estimates.
On July 19th, a comprehensive and immediate ceasefire was declared in Sweida, calling on all parties, without exception, to ‘fully commit to this decision and immediately cease all combat activities in all areas, ensuring the protection of civilians and securing the delivery of humanitarian aid without any obstacles.’
