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.

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.

By Palestine Chronicle Staff A growing alliance of 25 countries demands an immediate ceasefire and condemns Israel’s forced displacement of Palestinians and expansion of illegal settlements. A widening group of countries has issued a

Congo and Rwanda-backed rebels on Saturday signed a declaration of principles in Qatar to end decades-long fighting in eastern Congo that commits them to a permanent ceasefire and a comprehensive peace agreement to be signed in one month.

The talks will be the first since a ceasefire was reached after a 12-day war waged by Israel against Iran in June.

By Laila Bassam DAMASCUS (Reuters) -Sectarian clashes escalated in Syria's predominantly Druze region of Sweida on Saturday, with machinegun fire and mortar shelling ringing out after days of bloodshed as the Islamist-led government struggled to implement a ceasefire.

The Israeli military has issued new evacuation warnings for central Gaza, an area where ground operations have been rare.

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 Sweida

The Syrian government has moved some Bedouin families out of the southern province after clashes with Druze fighters intensified over the weekend.

The ceasefire that ended Iran's 12-day war with Israel has held for nearly a month without incident, but many Iranians remain uneasy, struggling with uncertainty as fears of another confrontation linger.