Syria has been wracked by a new wave of deadly sectarian violence that has placed the spotlight on the Druze minority at the center of rising tensions with Israel. Dozens of people were killed this week after clashes between government loyalists and Druze militias in the southern city of Suwayda,

STORY: Violence in southern Syria has put a spotlight on a small but influential minority, the Druze.:: Who are the Druze?The Druze are Arabs who follow a religion derived from a branch of Islam.They maintain a degree of secrecy about the practice of their faith that emerged in the 11th century.

Clashes that shook southern Syria this week have killed hundreds of people, including civilians, and drawn in an array of both local and international players, harking back to the dynamics of the country’s nearly 14-year civil war.

The conflict had drawn airstrikes against Syrian forces by neighboring Israel in defense of the Druze before a truce halted most of the fighting.

The Syrian government withdrew its forces from Druze-dominated areas in the south on Wednesday after several days of heavy fighting, declaring a ceasefire in the process. Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa spoke to the nation for the first time since Israel began launching heavy airstrikes against regime targets.

Israel struck Syrian military targets and central Damascus as it continued its campaign to protect Druze minority communities in southern Syria.

Syrian troops are trying to intervene in sectarian violence in the south between the Druze minority and Bedouins.