Syria’s president declared a ceasefire after nearly a week of sectarian bloodshed in the south, but civilians said there was no let-up in the violence.

The Syrian government says the week-long sectarian clashes in the southern region of Sweida have now been halted - after the tribal fighters were made to leave.

Syria's Sweida province has been engulfed by nearly a week of violence triggered by clashes between Bedouin fighters and Druze factions. Earlier on Friday, an Israeli official said Israel agreed to allow Syrian forces limited access to the Sweida area of southern Syria for the next two days.

Sectarian-tinged clashes left hundreds dead and attracted Israeli military intervention. A U.S. envoy said Israel and Syria had agreed to a truce.

Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa has urged Sunni Bedouin tribes to honor a ceasefire aimed at ending deadly clashes with Druze-linked militias

Syrian government forces were struggling to implement a shaky ceasefire in the southern province of Sweida on Saturday after factional bloodshed between Druze militias and Arab Bedouin tribes left hundreds dead, threatening the country’s postwar transition.

Syria and Israel have agreed to a ceasefire, US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack said on Friday. The deal was “embraced” by Turkey, Jordan and other neighboring countries, the ambassador, who also serves as the US special envoy to Syria, said in a post on X.

Syria’s Minister of Information said Saturday that the first phase of a ceasefire between Sunni Bedouin tribes and Druze-linked militias in Sweida will be in effect for the next 48 hours.

U.S. envoy Tom Barrack announced on Friday that Syria and Israel had agreed to a ceasefire. Israel intervened in the conflict earlier this week, hitting government forces and the defence ministry building in Damascus as it declared support for the Druze minority.

Syria's Islamist-led government said its security forces were deploying in the predominantly Druze southern city of Sweida on Saturday and urged all parties to respect a ceasefire after days of factional bloodshed that has left hundreds dead.

Armed Bedouin clans in Syria have withdrawn from the southern city of Sweida after over a week of deadly clashes.