US urges withdrawal by both Israel and Syria amid days of conflict in southern Syria

WASHINGTON

The US on Wednesday urged both Israel and the Syrian government to withdraw their forces after days of conflict in southern Syrian region of Suwayda.

“Well, certainly, an end to the conflict, an end to the nature of the violence that is happening, an Israeli withdrawal and a Syrian government withdrawal from the area as well,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in response to a question on what the US wants to see in Syria in the next few hours.

When asked whether the US has urged Israel to halt its strikes, Bruce declined to discuss specific diplomatic conversations.

“We are calling on the Syrian government to, in fact, withdraw their military in order to enable all sides to de-escalate and find a path forward,” Bruce said. “That’s obviously the goal, because of the nature of what’s happened," she added.

Clashes had been continuing in the south of the country between Druze militias and Bedouin groups in Suwayda. Israel, which also pounded targets in Syria on Tuesday, claims its attacks are meant to protect the Druze community.

“We do understand that the Israeli forces intervened to protect the Druze — that is something we can confirm,” said Bruce.

Besides military assets in southern Syria, the Israeli army's air attacks also targeted the country's Defense Ministry and areas near the presidential palace in the capital Damascus.

Asked by Anadolu whether the US considers these sites to be legitimate targets for Israel, Bruce declined to comment directly, but said the US was involved in "stopping this and de-escalating" the fighting.