Turkey on Tuesday promised to battle groups trying to divide Syria following sectarian violence last week.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan took aim at Israel in comments that Tel Aviv was looking to cause chaos in Syria when it ordered strikes on government forces in Sweida province and Damascus. 

He added that other militias hostile to the new Syrian government could use last week’s conflict between the Druze and Bedouin tribes as a cover to launch new offensives. 

Mr. Fidan said attempts by ethnic and religious groups in Syria to establish autonomous zones or independence from the regime would be seen as threatening Turkey’s security. 

“We are warning you, no group should engage in acts toward division,” he said in remarks to reporters in Ankara.  “If you go beyond this and seek fragmentation and destabilizing, we will consider this a direct threat to our security and intervene.”

He added that Turkey would support all diplomatic efforts to contain fighting in Syria. 

As violence broke out in Sweida province, Syria’s government troops were dispatched as a peacekeeping force but were soon drawn into the conflict against the Druze.

Israel bombed Syria’s military to protect Druze minority groups, expanding the attack on Wednesday by hitting targets in Damascus. 

Druze militia claim that Syrian forces sided with Bedouin militia in targeting minority members.

Shortly after the Israeli strikes on Wednesday, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced a ceasefire between government forces and Bedouin and Druze militia. He reaffirmed his government’s commitment to protecting all minority groups in Syria while insisting that Druze cultural and religious leaders would now be responsible for security in the province. 

Druze are an Arab religious minority and an offshoot of Sunni Islam. The Druze are a minority in greater Syria but have significant communities in the southern provinces, Lebanon and Israel. Druze members have strong ties to Israel, with many serving in the Israeli military. 

The ceasefire appears to be holding, but both sides say they’re prepared to strike again if the agreement is violated. According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, over 500 people have been killed in Sweida since July 13.

• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.