SDF, MSD call for inclusive political solutions in Suwayda
Amid escalating violence in southern Syria's Suwayda province, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian Democratic Council (MSD) issued strong statements condemning recent attacks on civilians and warning of growing risks to national unity and social cohesion.
Clashes erupted last week following a robbery on the Damascus highway that reportedly targeted a local merchant, sparking a series of retaliatory kidnappings and culminating in armed confrontations and shelling. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 37 people have been killed so far, while Syria's Interior Ministry confirmed the deaths of over 30.
The SDF, a US-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters controlling large parts of northeast Syria, denounced the ongoing attacks on towns and villages in Suwayda, calling for an immediate halt to the violence and urging space for national initiatives aimed at resolving the crisis.
بيان بخصوص الهجمات على قرى وبلدات محافظة السويداءنستنكر الهجمات والاعتداءات المستمرة التي تستهدف قرى وبلدات محافظة السويداء وأدت إلى فقدان العديد من أبناءها لحياتهم وحرق ونهب العشرات من بيوت ومزارع المدنيين. إن الهجمات المتكررة على شعبنا في السويداء والمضايقات المستمرة التي…
— Syrian Democratic Forces (@SDF_Syria) July 14, 2025
The Syrian Democratic Council, the political wing of the SDF, echoed these concerns, warning that the rapidly deteriorating situation in Suwayda poses a serious threat to Syria's already fragile social fabric. 'This escalation, regardless of its motivations, cannot be separated from the broader Syrian crisis and the absence of fair political solutions,' MSD said in its statement.
MSD explicitly criticized the involvement of Syrian government security agencies in fueling local tensions, calling it 'a dangerous act that contradicts the responsibility of any government to protect its citizens.' The council described such actions as violations of state duty and cautioned that they could deepen societal divisions and drive the country further into chaos.
Both statements condemned the use of sectarian rhetoric and incitement, emphasizing the need to avoid 'dangerous slips' into hate speech that has historically fueled conflict in Syria. Suwayda, home to Syria's Druze minority, has largely remained on the margins of the civil war but has experienced periodic unrest in recent years.
'Syria today stands at a historic crossroads,' the council warned, stressing the need for national responsibility and unity. 'Internal escalations in any part of the country only weaken the prospects for a genuine solution and serve the interests of those who want Syria to remain broken.'
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