Relatives and officials say a Syrian-American man of the Druze religious minority is among dozens of civilians killed in sectarian clashes in southern Syria. The U.S.

An American citizen from Oklahoma was among eight men, all family members, rounded up and killed during the sectarian violence that flared in Syria last week.

In a desperate and emotional plea to the world, Hala Saraya, a pharmacist from As-Suwayda, Syria, recounted the brutal killing of seven members of her family and the violent assault on her Druze community by Syrian forces aligned with Bedouin fighters.

Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa's government responded by deploying forces to the city. Druze residents of Suweida told the BBC they had witnessed "barbaric acts" as gunmen - government forces and foreign fighters - attacked people. Israel targeted these forces, saying they were acting to protect the Druze.

Damascus has moved in to the city of Sweida after violent clashes between Bedouins, government forces and Druze left around 100 dead. In response, Israel's airforce, acting as the Druze minority's self-proclaimed protectors,