Israel, Syria reach ceasefire deal with Türkiye's backing: US envoy

ANKARA

Israel and Syria have agreed to a ceasefire supported by Türkiye, Jordan and neighbors, US Ambassador to Ankara Tom Barrack said early Saturday.

"Israeli Prime Minister @Netanyahu and Syrian President @SyPresidency supported by the U.S.A. @SecRubio have agreed to a ceasefire embraced by Türkiye, Jordan and its neighbors," Barrack, who also serves as U.S. special envoy for Syria, said on X.

"We call upon Druze, Bedouins, and Sunnis to put down their weapons and together with other minorities build a new and united Syrian identity. We urge all Syrians to honor each other and live in peace and prosperity with their neighbors," he added.

The office of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced an "immediate ceasefire" in Sweida on Saturday as interior ministry forces deployed in the Druze-majority province under a U.S.-brokered deal with Israel.

The presidency called on "all parties to fully respect" the truce, that came after Israel bombed defence ministry forces which had deployed to the southern province earlier this week to force their withdrawal.

His remarks came amid rising tensions in Sweida, where deadly clashes erupted last Sunday between armed Druze and Bedouin groups.

Israel, under the pretext of protecting Druze communities, intensified its attacks across Syria, launching airstrikes on four provinces, including on the General Staff headquarters and presidential palace in the capital Damascus on Wednesday.

Earlier, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to stress that Israel’s continued interventions on Syrian territory were exacerbating the crisis.

Fidan said any attack targeting Syria’s territorial integrity, unity and sovereignty undermines regional peace efforts.

Affirming Türkiye’s support for the "constructive role" the U.S. is playing in Syria, Fidan expressed Ankara’s willingness to work with Washington and international actors to achieve a lasting resolution to the conflict.

The United States on Wednesday announced an earlier deal in which Sharaa pulled government forces out of Sweida, the southern hub of the Druze minority.

Sharaa said the mediation helped avert a "large-scale escalation" with Israel but his office accused Druze fighters of violating it.

Renewed fighting erupted Friday between Bedouin tribal factions and the Druze at the entrance to Sweida, an AFP correspondent said.

About 200 tribal fighters clashed with armed Druze men from the city using machine guns and shells, the AFP correspondent said, while the Syrian Observatory also reported fighting and shelling on neighbourhoods in Sweida.

Syria is deploying fresh forces to the region to break up further clashes in the south.