DAMASCUS: The Syrian interim authorities issued a call for restraint amid escalating violence in the southern province of Sweida, pledging to deploy forces to contain the conflict.
In a statement, the authorities expressed "deep concern and sorrow" over the ongoing deadly violence, describing the situation as resulting from "armed groups operating outside the law."
"The Syrian Arab Republic affirms its identity as a state for all its citizens, regardless of sect or ethnicity, " the statement read, emphasising that all must operate under one national roof and legal framework.