Syria | Syrian troops occupy Druze town of Suweida

Syrian government forces have killed 12 Druze civilians in the predominantly Druze provincial capital of Suweida in the south of the country, according to activists. Government troops entered the Radwan family's guesthouse and executed the civilians , the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Tuesday. An unverified video footage shows at least 10 people in civilian clothes covered in blood at the scene, with destroyed furniture and pictures of Druze dignitaries lying on the floor.

Fighting between Sunni Bedouins and Druze has been raging in southern Syria since Sunday. The Islamist government in Damascus responded by sending government forces into the area. On Tuesday morning, government troops, including civilian fighters, entered Suweida. Violent clashes erupted shortly thereafter. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 116 people have been killed in the fighting since Sunday.

The Israeli army also attacked government forces in Suweida again. The Israeli government declared on Tuesday that it wanted to protect the Druze from attacks by the "Syrian regime." "We are acting to prevent the Syrian regime from harming (the Druze) and to ensure the demilitarization of the area on our border with Syria," said a joint statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz. The Israeli army said it attacked Syrian military vehicles in the town of Suweida. Israel had already attacked tanks belonging to the Syrian government forces on Monday – also claiming to be protecting the Druze.

Since the overthrow of Syria's long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad by Islamist militias in December, Israel has presented itself as a protecting power for the Druze in Syria . Members of the religious minority, which emerged from Shiite Islam in the 11th century, also live in Israel and on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights in Syria. AFP/nd