Hello to you and welcome to News Out from the BBC World Service.
We're coming to you live from London.
I'm Sean Lay.
Syria's Islamist-led government says it's begun deploying security forces in Swader in the south of the country after nearly a week of intra-communal bloodshed.
It's trying to impose a ceasefire after clashes between Bedouin and Druze.
The Druze, a minority nationally but the main population in Swader,
say they've been the target in the attacks.
Earlier this week, Israel launched bombing raids against the capital with the aim, it said,
of pressuring the government to act against some of its supporters,
believed by the Druze to be among their attackers.
The Syrian government forces are trying to ensure that a ceasefire,
the third this week, is not broken.
Earlier in a pre-recorded statement,
Syria's interim president Ahmad al-Sharra renewed his pledge to protect minorities.
The Syrian state is committed to protecting all minorities and sects in the country and is proceeding to hold all violators accountable from any party.
no one will escape accountability.
We disassociate ourselves from all the crimes and transgressions that have occurred,
whether from inside Sueda or outside it.
We emphasise the importance of achieving justice and applying the law equally to everyone.
One News Hour's John Donaldson is in the capital of Damascus for us.