A Syrian Druze woman living in the United Arab Emirates frantically tried to keep in touch with her family in her hometown in southern Syria as clashes raged there over the

(Reuters) -Syria's Druze have reached a ceasefire agreement with the Syrian government in Sweida that will take immediate effect, Druze religious leader Sheikh Yousef Jarbou said in a video broadcast by state media on Wednesday.

Sharply escalating tensions in Syria appeared to ease on Thursday following a new ceasefire, a day after Israel bombed Damascus and threatened further attacks under the pretext of "protecting the Druze" amid sectarian clashes in the southern province of Sweida.

Syria's defense minister has announced a ceasefire just hours after government forces entered a key city in the volatile Sweida province.

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Clashes raged in the southern Syrian city of Sweida on Wednesday after a ceasefire between government forces and Druze armed groups collapsed and Israel threatened to escalate its involvement in support of the Druze religious minority.

After days of bloodshed in Syria's Druze city of Sweida, survivors emerged on Thursday to collect and bury the scores of dead found across the city. A ceasefire overnight brought an end to ferocious fighting between Druze militia and government forces sent to the city to quell clashes between Druze and Bedouin fighters.

Syrian army begins withdrawing heavy military equipment from Suwayda to hand over city’s neighborhoods to internal security forces - Anadolu Ajansı