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 Sweda in the south of the country after nearly a week of intracommunal bloodshed.

It's trying to impose a ceasefire after clashes

between Bedouin and Druze. The Druze, a minority nationally, but the main population in Sweda,

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 Jews 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-Shara

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 Swayda or outside it. We emphasise the importance of achieving justice and applying the law

equally to everyone. Well, news hours John Donelson is in the capital of Damascus for us. John,

what does this deployment involve? Well, as we were driving up from the south last night, we sought Syrian government forces

heading in the other direction. That deployment started yesterday evening, and we understand

it's continued this morning, but we have seen pictures from the towns and villages around

Sawadah to this morning, continuing to show gunmen on the street.

It's not clear exactly who they are, but these clashes involve Bedouin tribesmen and members of the Druze

community. So it doesn't seem like things are stable yet. And this is the most serious violence

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