Suwayda cleared of tribal fighters as Syrian forces implement ceasefire

Saudi Gazette

3 days ago

DAMASCUS — The Syrian Interior Ministry announced that the city of Suwayda has been cleared of tribal fighters and that clashes within the city have come to a halt following the implementation of a nationwide ceasefire agreement.
'Following intensive efforts by the Ministry of Interior to implement the ceasefire agreement — after the deployment of its forces in the northern and western areas of Suwayda province — the city of Suwayda has been cleared of all tribal fighters, and clashes within the city's neighborhoods have been brought to a halt,' said ministry spokesperson Nour al-Din al-Baba, according to the state-run SANA news agency.
The announcement came after the Syrian presidency declared a comprehensive and immediate ceasefire in the southern province, where armed clashes erupted on July 13 between Bedouin Arab tribes and local Druze militias.
Violence in the region escalated rapidly, with Israeli airstrikes targeting Syrian military positions and infrastructure in Damascus. Israel cited the protection of Druze communities as justification for the strikes.
Most Druze leaders in Syria, however, have publicly rejected foreign interference, emphasizing their commitment to national unity and the sovereignty of the Syrian state.
The situation in Suwayda unfolded amid broader changes in the country's political landscape. Following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad's regime in December and his flight to Russia, the long-standing Baath Party rule — in power since 1963 — effectively ended.
In January, a new transitional administration led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa was formed. Since then, Israel has declared the 1974 Disengagement Agreement void and intensified its military operations inside Syria. — Agencies