FM Gideon Sa’ar accuses Syrian leader of 'glorifying jihadists' and victim blaming, says global community 'has a duty to ensure the security and rights' of Syria's minority groups

Syria’s president declared a ceasefire after nearly a week of sectarian bloodshed in the south, but civilians said there was no let-up in the violence.

Syrian Bedouin and their allies fought Druze fighters in the community's Sweida heartland for a seventh day Saturday despite a ceasefire ordered by the government following a US-brokered deal to avert further Israeli military intervention.

The government of Syria confirmed on Saturday that it had struck a ceasefire agreement with Israel to end a conflict that erupted in the south of the country earlier this week and killed hundreds of people. The deal appears to permit Syrian government forces, which had been withdrawn on Wednesday, to redeploy in the area.

Sectarian-tinged clashes left hundreds dead and drew in Israeli military intervention. A U.S. envoy said Israel and Syria had agreed to a truce.

DAMASCUS (Reuters) -Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa accused Israel of trying to fracture Syria and promised to protect its Druze minority on Thursday after U.S. intervention to help achieve a truce in fighting between government forces and Druze fighters.

A Bedouin military commander told the Reuters news agency that the truce only applied to government forces and not to them, adding that the fighters were seeking to free Bedouins

Clashes in Syria between Bedouin tribes, government forces, and the Druze minority have left dozens dead, raising fears of escalating violence.