Islamist militia flees Israeli airstrike

Members of a Syrian Islamist militia in the vicinity of the Druze enclave of Suwayda flee an Israeli airstrike. The source observes that the militia is Sunni, affiliated with the Al Qaeda and the Islamic State. The source also purports that these militias have perpetrated heinous crimes against the Druze, including setting an elderly Druze man on fire and flinging men off rooftops. Observes maintain that these militias operate with the support of the new Syrian regime, and Druze leaders have labeled the violence as ethnic cleansing. Within the past few hours, reports of a ceasefire resulted in an uneasy quite descending over the city of Suwayda, though looting and burning continues in the surrounding villages. The regime announced the ceasefire after meetings in Jordan between the Syrian foreign minister, the Jordan deputy prime minister, and an American envoy. An Israeli ultimatum to Syria to forces to withdraw from the region or face full Israeli military intervention doubtless factored into the cease fire negotiations. It was reported that government-backed Islamist militias, like the one shown, rejected the ceasefire and attempted to advance into Suwayda against Druze resistance, until the Syrian government threatened to cut supplies of ammunition and fuel. Though the militias eventually halted their advance, stories of atrocities continue to emerge, and the smaller hamlets surrounding the city of Suwayda continue to burn.

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