The Syrian authorities will not allow the Druze minority to be drawn into the affairs of foreign powers, and the Syrian people are not afraid of war. This was stated by Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa, according to Reuters.

He called the protection of Druze citizens and their rights a priority for Syria.

In his first televised address after powerful Israeli airstrikes on Damascus on Wednesday, al-Sharaa addressed the Druze minority.

“We are not afraid of war, but we have put the interests of the Syrian people above destruction. Protecting your (Druze) rights is our priority, and we reject any attempts to drag you into the hands of an external force,” he said.

The Syrian leader also added that Syria “is not one of those who fear war.”

“The Syrian people are not afraid of war and are ready to fight if their dignity is threatened,” the interim president stressed.

The Druze are an Arab religious minority of about one million people living in Israel, Syria, and Lebanon.

In particular, in the province of As-Suwayda in southern Syria, during more than ten years of civil war, the Druze have repeatedly come under crossfire from government forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad and radical militants.