Syrian forces accused of 'executions' in Druze area as Israel launches strikes | AFP

Members of the Syrian defence ministry forces fire towards Druze fighters amid ongoing deadly clashes in southern Syria's Sweida province. At least 248 people have been killed in the province following several days of clashes that triggered the deployment of government forces, according to a war monitor. The Druze are a prominent religious community spread across Syria, Lebanon and Israel. In Syria, Druze fighters have clashed both with Bedouin tribes and with forces loyal to the Islamist government, as they struggle to find their place in the new order ushered in by the overthrow of longtime president Bashar al-Assad.