Fierce fighting broke out in southern Syria’s Suweida province between Druze militias and Sunni Bedouin fighters following a suspected abduction, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries amid growing concerns over sectarian tensions and minority protections post-Assad

The ministry condemned the attacks as a violation of Syrian sovereignty and accused Israel of aggravating the already fragile situation in the region

The move follows the ousting of former President Bashar al-Assad, who fled to Russia in December 2022. With a transitional leadership now in power, Syria is urgently trying to stabilize its economy after over a decade of civil war, compounded by hyperinflation and a critical shortage of banknotes

The situation prompted international concern, with Israel confirming it had launched limited air strikes in the region, claiming the actions were aimed at “protecting Druze civilians from encroaching Islamist militants”

The latest strikes come days after Israeli forces carried out attacks in the southwestern city of Daraa, which resulted in at least three deaths and 19 injuries, according to the Syrian Civil Defence group, also known as the White Helmets

Reports suggest that former security officers loyal to Assad have regrouped in the mountains to resist the interim government. Ali, another resident of Banias, described the chaos that engulfed his neighbourhood, with armed factions looting homes and targeting Alawite families

The monitoring group reported that at least 162 civilians, including 13 women and five children, have been killed in what it described as "field executions" in the Alawite heartland

Speaking at the OPCW assembly in The Hague, Asaad al-Shibani pledged to eliminate Syria's remaining chemical weapons, seeking justice for victims and adherence to international law. However, he emphasized that achieving these goals would require support from the global community

In January, residents of Kobane marked the 10-year anniversary of the historic victory over IS. The city, once under siege, still bears the scars of war, with destroyed buildings and posters of fallen fighters lining the streets

The attacker, a 23-year-old Syrian asylum seeker, was swiftly arrested at the scene after a courageous intervention by a bystander. The incident unfolded around 4 PM local time when the suspect suddenly began attacking passersby with a folding knife in a public area

On Thursday, February 6, tens of thousands of survivors in southern Turkey held torchlit vigils at 4:17 AM, marking two years since a devastating earthquake struck, killing over 53,000 in Turkey and around 6,000 in Syria

The Syrian civil defence group, also known as the White Helmets, reported that the explosion occurred on the periphery of the city, east of Aleppo, and left at least 15 women wounded, with some in critical condition