ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The United Kingdom on Saturday urged Syrian authorities to “restore calm” after days of deadly violence in the Druze-majority south. “The UK is appalled by recent attacks against the Druze community in Syria. We urge the authorities to take steps to restore calm, shield civilians from violence and hold those responsible to account,” a government spokesperson said. “We strongly call on all parties to reject violence, to ensure the protection of civilians and to refrain from actions that could risk aggravating tensions between communities in Syria,” the spokesperson added. More than 100 people have been killed in clashes between Syrian security forces and Druze fighters in the southern province of Suwayda this week, including 10 Druze civilians who were “executed,” according to the UK-based conflict monitor Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The violence was reportedly triggered by an audio recording insulting the Prophet Muhammad and falsely attributed to a prominent Druze cleric. The UK government also called on Israel to “refrain from actions that could risk destabilising Syria - respect for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is paramount.” Israel, claiming to defend the Druze minority, have carried out several airstrikes on Syrian positions. One person was killed and four were injured in Israeli airstrikes overnight, Syrian state media reported Saturday. On Friday, Israeli planes struck in the vicinity of the presidential palace in Damascus after warning the Syrian government not to deploy forces to Druze-majority areas in the south. In the past 48 hours, Israel has conducted over 20 airstrikes, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
