Forces affiliated with the Syrian interim government entered the Druze-majority city of Suwayda on Tuesday following days of escalating violence between the Druze community and Bedouin groups. The deployment came as Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra announced a ceasefire after negotiations with Druze leaders, though tensions remain high.

In a statement, Defense Minister Abu Qasra ordered a complete ceasefire for all units operating in Suwayda, emphasizing that forces would only respond to direct attacks by outlaw groups. The move follows a deal with local Druze notables to curb violence that has killed around 100 people, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

The interim government said its forces were deployed to “regulate military behavior and hold violators accountable.” However, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajari, the spiritual leader of Syria’s Druze minority, claimed the agreement was made under duress.

In a video message, al-Hajari accused Damascus of pressuring Druze leaders into accepting the ceasefire, calling it a “humiliating statement” issued to prevent further bloodshed. He alleged that despite the agreement, shelling of civilians continued, warning that the Druze community faces “extermination.”

“The statement we issued was imposed upon us by Damascus and foreign pressure,” al-Hajari said, appealing for international intervention. “We call on people of conscience worldwide to confront this barbaric campaign.”

Earlier, Druze leaders had publicly welcomed the deployment of government forces, urging fighters to cease clashes to protect civilians. However, al-Hajari dismissed this as the result of failed negotiations with Damascus.

The violence has drawn concern from the United Nations and Kurdish-led authorities in northeast Syria. Meanwhile, Israel warned against the presence of Syrian military assets near its border.

On Monday, Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee stated that Israeli forces had struck tanks moving toward Suwayda to “impede their arrival,” citing security threats. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz later affirmed their commitment to protecting Syria’s Druze community, citing historical ties with Israeli Druze citizens.

This marks the second major outbreak of violence in Suwayda this year. In April and May, sectarian clashes left over 100 dead after a controversial audio recording allegedly from a Druze cleric circulated online.

Al-Hajari has been a vocal critic of Syria’s interim government, rejecting its Islamist-leaning constitution as a “declaration of tyranny.” The current administration, led by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, has faced opposition from minority communities over its emphasis on Islamic jurisprudence in legislation.

This is not the first time the interim government has attempted to assert control over Suwayda. In December, local Druze militias blocked an advance by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a faction now integrated into the new government.